


and the sun shines upon your face

by rosegarden



Category: One Direction (Band)
Genre: Coming Out, Established Relationship, M/M, Medical Inaccuracies, Mpreg, Mpreg Harry, Unplanned Pregnancy, but nothing major, some hurt/comfort at the beginning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-30
Updated: 2014-07-15
Packaged: 2018-01-27 15:08:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 32,820
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1715012
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosegarden/pseuds/rosegarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“It's just – it feels weird. To tell her that her twenty year old closeted son got knocked up in the middle of a stadium worldwide tour.”<br/>Louis laughs and Harry's heart squeezes at that beautiful sound. “Well it does sound weird when you put it like that.”<br/>“I don't 'put it like that'. It's the truth.”</p><p>or</p><p>the one where Harry really, really likes making plans but plans don't really like him, Louis is an overprotective-future-dad-to-be and Niall, Liam and Zayn race to be the godfather.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: this story is just for pure enjoyment and I do not mean in any way to represent true situations. I do not own One Direction or any other character that appears in this fanfiction who also exist in real life. Never wrote disclaimers in my life but you know what I mean.
> 
> ETA: This story has been re-edited to correct some grammatical errors and such. Please do tell me if you find any other thing that I should fix. Thank you! x

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Louis make an unexpected discovery.

When Harry wakes up, he feels horrible. He groans and tights the blankets around his aching stomach, hoping that will help to make it feel better and leans a hand towards the left side of the bed, looking for Louis.

He is not there.

Harry moans disappointed. He would have used a session of cuddles and possibly a cup of tea – just the idea of getting up and going to the restaurant downstairs to have breakfast with the rest of the crew makes him feel sick.

They have been touring for two months now and they haven't yet reached the point where they don't even know in which country they are performing, let alone the city, but Harry feels a bit drained.

They are currently in Dublin, where they arrived a couple of days ago after the break in between the South American leg of the tour and the European one. They will stop in Ireland for two shows to then move toward Sunderland and continuing the tour.

A wave of nausea hits Harry all of sudden and he hurries towards the bathroom of the hotel room. He barely manages to kneel towards the toilet before he starts puking what had been last night's dinner.

“Shit,” he manages to mumble before another wave hits him and he has to throw up again. Last night's dinner _did_ taste funny and now he guesses he knows why. He is almost relieved: a food poisoning is a lot easier to handle on tour than the flu – he should be all right in a matter of hours.

“You okay, love?” Louis says behind him and Harry turns his back to face his boyfriend, noticing him all of sudden.

“Food poisoning, I think,” Harry replies sitting on the floor of the bathroom and leaning against the sink, feeling instant relief at the contact with the cold ceramic.

Louis steps forward, kneeling in front of him and stroking his curls softly.

“Do you need anything? Can I get you something?” he asks Harry.

Harry leans towards his boyfriend touch and nods.

“Can you get me some paracetamol? 's in my bag.”

Louis stands up and disappears for a minute, while Harry gets up and fills a glass with water.

When Louis comes back he hands Harry the medicine and stays behind him, a hand on Harry's hip and chin on his shoulder.

“Feeling better?” he asks softly, kissing Harry's naked skin and Harry smiles at him.

“Yes, I got it all out. I think something was off with my food at dinner – I told you it tasted funny. Give me a couple of hours, I'll be just as new.”

Louis smiles at him and then offers.

“Do you feel like going downstairs for some breakfast or would you prefer if I called room service? You should eat something, drink some tea.”

“Give me a few minutes to get dressed, I don't mind going downstairs.”

Now that the nausea has passed, he doesn't mind stepping out of the hotel room for a while – he feel almost normal again.

“I'll take a shower and I'll come with you, then,” Louis says taking his shirt off already.

Harry hadn't even noticed that Louis' clothes were soaked in sweat and he guesses he's just been at the gym with Mark.

“Are you sure you are okay, Haz?” Louis calls him and Harry nods again.

“Just need to brush my teeth.”

He must be convincing, because Louis just kisses him on his forehead and steps in the shower, turning the water on.

After he's brushed his teeth accurately and made sure his breath isn't smelling, Harry gets out of the bathroom and looks for something to wear. He ends up wearing a white shirt, his usual black jeans and a pair of boots and he lies down on the bed again, resting his eyes for a few minutes.

Something wet touches him and Harry opens his eyes again with a yelp. Louis is comfortably sitting on his lap, completely naked, his hair still wet.

“Ugh, get off me, you animal,” Harry moans and Louis laughs.

“You didn't even give me a kiss yet, Harold. Our relationship cannot proceed if we don't kiss good morning everyday.”

“Well, excuse me if I was puking my guts out, I'll do my best to avoid it in the future for the sake of our morning kisses,” Harry says trying to keep a straight face.

“Good boy,” Louis murmurs and he leans to kiss him.

Harry hasn't got used to their kisses just yet. He has kissed many people in his life – sure, Louis had been a constant in the last three years and a half, but he had had girlfriends before. Kissed a few other guys too and never, ever their kisses had felt like this. It doesn't matter if they are just barely touching each other lips, or if they are rough or soft like they are now. It doesn't matter if it's a “thank you for buying milk” kiss or a goodbye kiss when they are not going to see each other for a couple of days – Harry always feels shivers running through his back. It's been almost four years since Harry and Louis' first kiss and, since then, nothing has changed. He still feels like it's the first time their lips are touching.

Harry can feel Louis' cock starting to harden against his chest and interrupts the kiss.

“I really can't right now, Lou” he laughs.

Louis moans and kisses him again, first on his lips, then on his nose.

“I figured. I'll get dressed.”

Harry giggles and Louis gets off of him.

Once Louis is dressed, they go downstairs where some members of the crew, along with Paul, Niall and Liam are already having breakfast.

“ 'ood morning” Niall says while munching his eggs.

“You are disgusting” Louis replies and Niall very maturely shows him his tongue, his munched eggs on good display.

“Why are we friends again?” Louis mumbles jokingly while Harry sits down and takes a piece of bread.

“Can I get you something, love?” Louis asks him, his tone softer when he addresses his boyfriend.

“Just a cup of tea, please. I don't really feel like eating something other than bread,” Harry says. If he has to be honest, the eggs' smell alone is making his stomach twitch again and he really doesn't want to try and taste them.

“Are you sure? You should eat something else – do you want pancakes? Or some fruits?”

Harry's hand runs to his stomach and tries to ease the feeling of nausea that just him again.

“No really, I'll have a few dry biscuits later.”

Louis nods and goes away to get what he asked at the self service table.

“You are a bit pale, Hazza.” Liam says and at those words Paul's head snaps from the newspaper he was reading to focus on Harry.

“I've been sick this morning. I'm fine, though. Something was probably off with my dinner yesterday,” he is quick to explain and then shurgs his shoulders, as though to say that it was nothing important.

“You got roast, right? I did too, but I'm fine,” Liam says, his brows furrowed in confusion.

“Well get ready to get sick very soon, then,” Harry jokes and Liam makes an horrified expression. “Chill out Li, maybe it was the way they cooked it. It tasted funny and I still ate it, I should have stopped when I noticed the taste. I already took some paracetamol, there's nothing to be worried about.”

“Do you need anything Harry?” Paul asks him and Harry barely manages to not roll his eyes. That's one of the reasons he hates getting sick – besides the whole being-sick-thing, he hates when people fuss around him. It's not that he doesn't like the attention, because he does, but what he doesn't like is when people constantly worry about him and ask him if he is okay or if he needs help, as though he can't take care of himself. He knows he is the youngest, but he is twenty now. He can take care of himself.

Louis comes back and puts a cup of hot tea in front of him and Harry thanks him with a smile.

“You'll be okay for the show tonight, won't you?” Niall says and Harry turns his head to face him.

“More than okay. Don't worry about it, Nialler.”

And he is okay. The show that night is great – amazing, even. Harry enjoys every minute of it, adrenaline rushing through his veins. That night back at the hotel, he lets Louis fuck him slowly, face to face, lost in each other's eyes. They curl up together after they come, so tight that they can barely breathe.

Harry falls asleep immediately.

***

Harry wishes he could say that the nausea was just an isolated incident. It's not. The day after he pukes for the first time, he feels dizzy and tired the whole day but doesn't throw up – the day after, however, he wakes up at six o'clock with the sudden urge to puke and rushes to the toilet just in time. Louis wakes up hearing the noise and runs to his side in a few seconds.

Louis strokes his back gently while Harry is sick and murmurs comforting words in the meantime.

“I thought it was food poisoning,” Louis says handing Harry a glass full of fresh water.

Harry drinks it slowly, little sips at the time, before answering.

“I thought that too. Maybe it is... I don't know.”

Louis helps him to stand and assists him while Harry washes his face and brushes his teeth again.

“Do you want to go back to sleep? We still have an hour before we have to get up,” Louis proposes and Harry nods weakly. He mentally thanks Louis for supporting his weight until they reach the bed again and lies down next to him, the older boy spooning him from behind. Harry falls asleep again in a matter of seconds, too exhausted from yesterday's concert.

He wakes up to Louis gently strokes and his soft voice in his ear.

“Love, we have to go now,” Louis says and Harry groans, blinking a couple of times. Louis is looking over him. “How are you feeling?”

Harry has to think a few seconds before answering. He feels sore and tired, but he doesn't feel like puking again for now. When he says so, Louis nods gingerly and gives me another glass of water.

“You can sleep for a while on the plane,” Louis tells him and Harry groans at the idea of travelling – he usually doesn't mind, but he is afraid that the movements of the plane will not be good for his stomach. He gets up again and follows Louis out of the room – Louis had packed all of their things while he was sleeping and Harry feels a wave of gratitude radiating towards his boyfriend. They bring everything in the hall downstairs where they meet with Liam, Zayn, Niall and Josh.

“Wow Harry, you look like shit,” Josh greets them and Harry makes a face.

“Always a charmer,” he mumbles.

“Shut up Josh, he is not feeling well,” Louis barks and Harry beams a bit, knowing that Louis will always have his back.

“Oh shit man, sorry.”

“Is it the nausea again?” Liam asks and Harry nods.

“I am not sitting anywhere near you for the next two hours,” Niall states and Louis glares at him. “Sorry Haz, you know I love you.”

“Whatever you say, Ni,” he sighs and he sits on one of the luggages to balance himself.

“Are you going to be sick again?” Louis asks, suddenly at his side and Harry shakes his head.  
“'m dizzy.” he mutters and leans his head against Louis shoulder. Louis hands are stroking his hair and Harry feels like he could fall asleep again in a matter of seconds. The muscles of his back are aching because of the constant puking and his head feels light.

He can hear Zayn saying something but doesn't really pay attention to him, focused on his breathing and Louis' hands in his hair.

They sit like this for a while, until Paul comes to call them, Liam right behind him. Louis helps him to stand up and Zayn lines on his side, supporting part of his weight. There aren't many fans outside out of the hotel and whereas Liam, Niall, Zayn and Louis have to stop for a few pictures and autographs, Pauls leads Harry to the car that will that them to the airport, apologizing to the fans.

When Harry finally gets inside, he takes two minutes before falling asleep again.

***

The next two days are better. Harry still feels nauseous, especially when he first wakes up in the morning and sometimes during the day as well, but he is not sick. He still gets a few dizzy spells, but he attributes them to low pressure caused by how bad they always eat when they are on the road. When he feels dizzy, he just eats an orange – the only food that seems to settle with his fragile stomach lately – and he feels better.

Louis doesn't look at him like he might break or pass out any time anymore and this makes him feel extremely relieved.

When they get to Edinburgh it's been about a week since Harry first got sick and he is starting to wonder why the hell he still feels like this – he had also talked with the doctor who follows them on this leg of the tour and he had subscribed him some vitamins and suggested him to get more sleep. Which Harry has been done – he doesn't know why, but he spends every break that they have curled up on some sofa, napping. He knows the other boys give him a weird look every time he lays down to rest, but this is definitely better than when they were fussing over him like a group of possessive mother hens.

This is, until the show in Edinburgh. It's the last show for a couple of days and they are all looking forward for the short break.

They are all quietly hanging out in one of the rooms of the arena, Louis and Harry laying on a sofa, curled up against each other and the other three are sitting on another one.

Harry is resting – he has been feeling particularly bad since the moment he woke up, alternating waves of nausea and dizzy spells. His vitamins hadn't helped nor eating oranges and at the top of that, he is exhausted and Harry positively feels like an old man. Louis is holding him tightly from behind and even though he was first grateful for having him so close, Harry is starting to feel uneasy. His stomach hurts and waves of nausea keep hitting him, but neither of them are too strong to actually make him sick.

He is about to tell Louis to let him go so that he can go to the bathroom, when a particularly strong wave of nausea hits him and Harry can feel he won't be able to go anywhere near a toilet.

“L-Lou...” he manages to mumble and Louis suddenly lets him go. Harry leans over the couch and empties his stomach on the spot, tears streaming down his face.

“Shit Harry!” someone yells – probably Zayn – and Harry can do nothing but wait for the nausea to go away. He is shivering and he feels Louis tights hands help him to sit down on the sofa.

“Niall, can you get us a bottle of water and a towel, please?” Louis asks and Harry can see with the corner of his eye Niall leaving them in a hurry.

“Harry, are you okay?” Liam asks softly and Harry nods gingerly.

“Yes I – shit, sorry I made a mess. Let me -” he says in a rush and he can feel Louis hands keeping him still.

“Don't worry about that, babe. Don't think about it,” Louis says and Harry sighs heavily.

“I don't know what's wrong with me,” he whispers and buries his head in Louis' neck, looking for comfort. He can feel Louis' grip get tighter after he speaks and the older boy gives him a quick kiss on the top of his head.

“We'll go and see a doctor tomorrow, as soon as we go back to London, is that okay?” Louis proposes and Harry can do nothing but nod.

When Niall comes back he is with one of the members of the cleaning staff – Niall hands Harry the bottle of water and Harry drinks slowly, making a face at the taste of vomit and bile in his mouth, while the man with Niall throws some product on the floor and starts cleaning.

Harry feels infinitely guilty and apologises profusely several times and each time everyone tells him that he has nothing to be sorry for. Louis helps him stand and leads him to the bathroom to help him to get cleaned.

“I'm going to say to Paul that you won't be performing tonight,” Louis announces at some point and Harry's eyes get wide.

“What? No! I can do that, Louis. I'm fine,” Harry protests, passing a hand through his hair nervously.

“Of course you are fine, that's why you just got sick all over the floor,” Louis retorts and anger starts to form at the bottom of Harry's stomach

The thing is, Harry doesn't get angry easily. He is generally a very pacific person and rarely screams or start arguments with other people. This sudden feeling of anger surprises him – a lot.

“Oh shut up already,” he snaps and he can see Louis making a surprised expression before recomposing himself.

“Harry -” Louis starts, but Harry interrupts him.

“Do not Harry me, this is not up to discussion. I am performing tonight. End of the story.”

Louis stays silent for five long seconds and for a moment Harry thinks he is going to talk him back again, but instead he just shrugs his shoulders.

“Do whatever you want,” he concludes annoyed and doesn't say another word. Harry decides to ignore him and finishes to clean his face and leaves the toilet to go and change his shirt.

The next couple of hours pass in a blur – Paul is informed that Harry was sick and fusses over him asking him if he is feeling fine enough for the concert that night. Harry nods and tries his best to avoid the other boys' company, the last thing he needs is to see the way they look at him like he might be sick again at any second.

Harry lied to Paul, because if he has to be honest – which is desperately trying not be – he feels properly dreadful. He is not nauseous anymore – though the smell of the dinner Lou brings him almost makes him sick again -, but he is sore everywhere, he is tired and he swears that he doesn't remember a time when he wasn't feeling dizzy.

Maybe dreadful is an understatement - he feels like he physically needs to go to bed and don't leave it for the next few days. At this point, the only reason he doesn't ask to Paul to not let him perform that night is purely his love for his fans and the fact that he can be very stubborn when he wants to be and he doesn't want Louis to give him the “I told you so” speech.

He barely eats his dinner, curled up in the angle of a couch whereas the other boys sit at a table. Harry can feel Louis' eyes on him but doesn't look at him – he is sorry he snapped at him, but he won't apologise until the show is over. As much as he loves how protective Louis is over him, Harry just wants to make his own decisions without Louis or any other adult's supervision.

When the concert begins, Harry makes a deep breath and gets on stage with the other boys. He has tried to laugh it off, trying to mentally convince his body to get over whatever is happening to him and give him a two hours break – just long enough to get him through the concert – but his body doesn't seem to agree with him.

Harry tries to distract himself focusing on the screaming crowd and the words of the songs because if he's going to let himself think about how he really feels, he might as well just go in the backstage and announce that he is sorry, but he can't do it. He even seriously considers doing so a couple of times, but then strongly denies to himself.

They have just started the second part of the concert and are in the middle of the performance of Alive, when he feels suddenly so dizzy that he needs to grab Niall shoulders to not let himself swing and fall. Niall makes a questioning face and Harry tries to shakes his head to tell him that he is fine, but -

He doesn't really know what happens. A second he is on stage, and the next is in the backstage and someone's strong hands are keeping him up upright.

“W-what?” he questions confused and Paul – it's Paul the one who's holding him, of course it's Paul – tightens his hands around him.

“Come on, let's get you out of here,” says the man and Harry wants to ask some questions but eventually just nods helplessly and lets Paul take him away.

“Where are we 'oing” he mumbles and he can barely understand himself.

Paul somehow does. “I'm taking you to the A&E.”

A pause. Harry freezes. And then asks “why?” with the weakest voice and, seriously, what is going on with him?

They are outside now, in the back and a car is already waiting there. Harry barely even notices it, too focused on trying to walk without falling.

“Because,” Paul starts helping him get in the car. “You kind of blacked out on stage and you look like you are about to faint.”

“'Am not,” he mumbles but he doesn't even sound remotely convincing.

Paul almost laughs. Harry doesn't blame him.

The man starts the car and Harry immediately turns the window down, enjoying the fresh air on his face and breathes deeply.

“Drink this,” Paul orders and Harry takes the fruit juice box he is handing him. He drinks little sips at the time at first, than more deep after he realises it's not making him sick.

“What do you mean I blacked out?” he asks when he feels well enough to know he won't be sick if he opens his mouth.

“You just didn't look like you where _there_ anymore, I guess. I didn't even notice until Niall brought you in the backstage – he said you looked like you were about to pass out and weren't responding or anything,” he pauses. “You don't remember?”

Harry shakes his head. “Not really.”

“Another evidence that you blacked out, then.”

Harry stays silent, he can feel his cheeks blush in embarrassment.

“You should have said you were ill, Harry,” Paul says and his tone is firm, but almost paternal.

Harry doesn't even try to come up with an excuse.

“I know. 'm sorry.”

Paul sighs.

“Let's just try to find out what's wrong with you, alright? You've been feeling poorly for a week now.”

“I thought it was just a stomach bug,” Harry admits drinking more juice and he is glad to realise he is feeling better for the first time today.

“It probably is. Better double check anyway,” Paul argues and Harry just nods silently.

They don't talk for a few minutes, until Harry opens his mouth again.

“Louis must be going mental,” he thinks outloud and Paul makes a noise between a laugh and a grunt.

“He did look distraught when you disappeared off stage.”

Harry wants to bury himself in a hole and hide.

“They had to continue the show, of course, but I told Alberto to not let any of the boys come to the A&E later. We'll probably be back at the hotel in a couple of hours anyway.”

Harry groans and covers his face between his hands.

They get to the hospital a few minutes later – Harry doesn't need Paul's help to stand but the man still stands right next to him, ready to catch him if he feels sick again.

Harry just sits on a plastic chair while Paul registers him at the reception – the A&E is almost empty, just another man in his sixties and a woman in her forties sitting there. Paul comes back and tells him someone will be with them shortly. Harry nods and tries to reach for his phone in his right pocket where he usually leaves it, but then realises that he doesn't have it with him.

“Is the concert finished already?” he asks and Paul looks at the watch on the wall to check the time.

“It's probably ending any minute now,” he says and Harry nods slowly. “Do you want to call anyone? Your mum, maybe? Or Gemma? I'm sure Louis will call me as soon as he is off stage.”

Harry thinks about it for a minute – he is scared, he is in a hospital and has no idea what is wrong with him and all he wants is for someone to hold him. However, his mum and Gemma don't always check on twitter to keep updated live about the concerts and he doesn't want to scare them until he knows what is going on, so he just shakes his head.

“Later,” he says without giving any other explanation and Paul just nods and strokes his back in comfort. Harry smiles, feeling deeply grateful to him.

About ten minutes later a girl in a scrub approaches them.

“Harry Styles,” he calls him with a very strong Scottish accent and Harry nods even if it wasn't a question. “Come with me, please.”

Harry stands up and gives Paul a look. The man makes a tired smile and announces “I'm just going to wait for you here, Harry. Call if you need me,” and Harry nods as an answer.

The nurse seems nice, she talks the whole way to the room and keeps his head busy, which is good because at the moment he has the worst case scenario printed in his head. What if it's not a stomach bug? What if it's something bad – something serious?

“Okay, sit here, love,” she says pointing the bed in the small room she got him in and Harry does. “So, how have you been feeling lately?” she asks politely while taking some stuff from the table next to the wall.

Harry takes a few seconds before replying. “Nauseous. Especially in the morning, but also during the day. I do not always get sick but I do most of the time and I've had a few very bad dizzy spells.”

“Did you have one before coming here?” she questions and Harry nods.

“I've just been feeling very bad the whole day – I was tired, nauseous and dizzy all day long. It got worse during the past hour or so, though I think it might have been because I didn't really eat or drink much.”

The nurse nods and signs a few things on a paper.

“Okay, can you please take your shirt off?” she then asks and Harry obliges.

Suzanne – as he finds out her name is – runs what Harry thinks are pretty routine tests. She checks his heartbeat, his pressure, his breathing, takes a blood sample – Harry was never really fond of needles and now he feels like he has a real reason to hate them – and then asks him to pee in a cup.

“I'll get this all checked out, it will take about a hour, do you want me to ask your friend to come here so he can keep you company while you wait?” she asks and Harry says yes and thank you.

She quickly disappears and Paul enters in the room a few minutes later.

“How are you feeling?” he asks sitting on a chair nearby the bed. Harry shrugs.

“Better than I did earlier,” he says honestly.

“Did the nurse say anything?” Paul enquiries.

“No,” Harry answers. “Just took some blood samples to test, she said we will have the results in about an hour.”

“Okay, that's good. The sooner the better.”

Harry just nods.

“Louis called.”

That catches Harry's attention again. “What did he say?”

“Well, as you put it earlier, he was going a bit mental. I could here Niall, Zayn and Liam fussing in the background as well – I told him that you were taking some tests but that you were feeling better. Didn't seem to reassure him all that much.”

“Oh, you know Louis,” Harry says with half a smile. “A bit dramatic, isn't it?”

“Definitely dramatic, but he is right this time.”

“I know,” Harry murmurs, regret in his voice.

“Your mum called as well – I think she read something on twitter. You should give her a call, she sounded scared.”

Harry bits his lower lip, he was hoping she wouldn't learn about this by the social media.

“Can I use your phone? I haven't got mine here,” he asks and Paul hands him his phone immediately.

Anne answers after the first ring and Harry takes two whole minutes to calm her down enough to explain what is going on. She first sounds like she is about to cry and while Harry is explaining what happened, she seems to get angrier.

“Harry! You should have said you were feeling ill!” she almost screams and Harry spends five more minutes apologising. He finally ends the call once he promises her he would call her as soon as he comes back at the hotel to inform her about the tests' results. Once the call has ended, he opens a text and quickly dials Louis number.

_I'm okay. I've done some tests and i'm waiting for the results, should have them in half an hour now. I'll be back at the hotel later – H xxxx_

Unsurprisingly, Louis' answer comes in a matter of seconds.

_Did you talk to a doctor yet?? what did they say?!_

_No doctor, just a nurse. Tests is all i've done so far. I'll call you when i'm on my way back to the hotel._

_You are an idiot._

Harry shouldn't laugh at that last text, but he does.

_You still love me, though._

_Scare me like this once again and I'm not sure I still will._

Harry smiles fondly.

_Gotta go now. Love you, see you later xxxxx_

_Love you too. Come back soon please. Xxxxx_

Harry sadly deletes the conversation and hands the phone back to Paul.

“Did you calm him down?” Paul asks with a smirk and Harry giggles.

“I think I did, yes.”

“Good, we don't need another member of the band at the hospital for a an heart attack,” Paul says and Harry smiles amused.

They spend the next twenty minutes quietly chatting, the conversation interrupted once in a while by Paul's phone ring as some member of the crew or management calls him for updates. He tells them all the same thing he had said to Louis – that Harry was waiting for his exams' results but that he was already feeling better. Paul asks Harry if he wants management to release a statement about what had happened since the news was all over the social media and Harry quickly says no, preferring to tweet something on his own.

“I don't want to make such a fuss about it – it's probably nothing,” he explains and Paul agrees, communicating his answer to the member of management at the phone.

Harry just quietly lays on the bed while Paul talks to people on the phone, playing with his fingers in the attempt to entertain himself and not let his minds wander. He is torn between wanting to know the exams results so that he will finally know what is going on, and not wanting to know at all, scared that it all could be something more serious than he thought.

He is questioning himself about this when a doctor in a white coat enters the room. Harry sits down quickly and Paul says goodbye to whoever he is talking on the phone with and ends the call.

“Harry,” says the man stirring his arm to shake Harry's hand. “I am Dr. Connell.”

Harry greets him, but his voice is so small he doubts the doctor heard him.

“So, I've got the results to your tests just here,” Dr. Connell says and Harry notices for the first time the folder in his left hand. “You said to the nurse that you've been experiencing some nausea lately, along with dizzy spells and tiredness, is that correct?”

Harry just nods slowly.

“Is everything alright?” he croaks out and he swears he has probably never felt quite as scared as in that moment.

Dr. Connell smiles and shakes his head.

“You are okay, Harry,” he says and Harry can't help but breathe deeply, feeling absolutely relieved. He can manage whatever else it is, then.

“Then what it is?” Paul asks and Doctor Connell turns his attention towards him for a few seconds before looking at Harry again.

“It is actually very obvious if you think about it,” he says and Harry just guesses that he probably was right all along and it's only a stomach bug. He's about to burst into laughing when the doctor speaks again. “You are pregnant, Harry.”

Harry swears he stops breathing for fifteen seconds.

Paul makes a weird noise from where he is sitting and a part of Harry's brain wonders if he already was suspecting it for the whole time.

“Pregnant?” Harry manages to repeat after a long break, his voice not entirely there.

Dr. Connell nods again.

“You are about five weeks along now,” he adds and Harry's mind goes blank again.

“But it's not... I mean we are – . We. Oh my Go- are you sure?” he stutters, his breath heavy.

If he said that he and Louis have always worn a condom it would be a lie, but he is almost sure they certainly have always worn a condom in the last month and a half. They didn't even get drunk since the tour has started – not drunk enough to forget to use protection, anyway. This is just not possible. Unless... there was that one time, just before they left for South America, but Harry quickly shakes his head and doesn't even want to consider the possibility

When he says so out loud, the doctor just smiles sympathetically at him.

“I'm very sure, Harry. The tests cannot be wrong.” he confirms.

Harry stops breathing again.

This cannot be happening.

“Can you give us a few minutes?” Paul says like from a long distance and Harry just nods quickly and helplessly.

He can hear the doctor exit the room and then Harry look at Paul.

“Paul, Paul I don't – I don't know what...” he stammers, his breath heavy.

“Haz, take a deep breath for me, please,” Paul says and his voice is firm.

Harry tries and fails. He tries again and this times it's better.

“Did you – had you already thought about it?” he asks frantically.

“I thought it could be a possibility, yes.” Paul answers honestly and Harry feels irrationally betrayed. “My wife had your same exact symptoms when she was pregnant.”

Harry sucks a breath at the word. _Pregnant._

Oh, God.

The thing is, Harry really loves making plans. He likes when things goes the way he organises them, he likes to be mentally prepared to face any possible change that may or may not occur in his life. So, he makes plans. Sometimes it's just small things, like what to cook for dinner in the next couple of days or what kind of chores he and Louis need to do when they are at home. Other times it is more important stuff, sometimes it's the days they can go on holiday, what hotel they may book, where they'd like to go.

Some others, he likes to plan his life with Louis. Their wedding and what they are going to say when they are going to come out, the names of their babies, the LGBTQ campaigns they could initiate and every time he thinks about it, he adds new details, he fixes his coming out speech, thinks about his vows at their wedding.

Male pregnancies are as possible as females', though they are slightly less common. Harry had always wanted to carry his and Louis' babies, since when they got together actually, but he is twenty now, he is a member of the most famous boy band in the world which is currently in the middle of a world stadium tour, he  _can't_ be pregnant. Not  _now_ .

Harry barely chocks a sob.

“Harry,” Paul says and Harry looks at him. He has to calm down, get a grip and decide what to do next.

He breathes deeply once again.

“Can you call Louis, please,” Harry says slowly. “Tell him to come here? Don't say anything, though. I want to tell him and – he needs to be here. To talk with the doctor if he wants to.”

Paul nods and pats Harry's hair before leaving the room. Instinctively, Harry brings a hand to his stomach. Harry mentally punches himself for not thinking about the possibility that he was pregnant before. As Dr. Connell had said, it was obvious once you put all the symptoms together but Harry had never even thought about that. Not once. He was sure it was just a stomach bug, some kind of flu – not a pregnancy.

“Idiot,” he murmurs to himself at the same time as Paul re-enters in the room.

“Well, Louis is freaking out for real now,” he announces.

“You didn't tell him, did you?” says Harry and Paul shakes his head.

“No, but this exactly the reason why he is freaking out. He has no idea what is going on.”

“'m sorry,” Harry murmurs. He can feel Paul moving and a few seconds later, the man is hugging him tightly. Harry relaxes a bit at the touch and he lets out a deep breath.

“Don't apologise, Harry. You are right at wanting to tell him face to face.”

Harry just nods absently.

“Alberto is giving Louis a ride – he will make sure Louis won't crash somewhere. They'll be here soon.”

Harry closes his eyes, overcome by emotions.

“What am I going to say to him?” he asks weakly.

“Just the truth.”

“He will be mad.”

“Why? It takes two to make a baby, Harry. And I highly doubt Louis will be anything but happy.”

“Paul,” Harry whispers. “We are in our early twenties. We are in the middle of a worldwide tour, we are in the fucking closet -”

“I am not saying this is the best of times to have a child, Harry. What I'm saying is, Louis won't be mad. He loves you and I heard you two talking about your future enough times to know that you have always wanted children,” Paul explains patiently to Harry.

Harry hides his face in his hands, suffocating in his own emotions. He doesn't know what he is feeling, a second he is terrified, the next he is excited, then he is scared again and he feels helpless.

All he knows is that he needs Louis. Needs to feel Louis' arms around his body and Louis' reassuring voice in his ears.

Harry lies down on the bed, his head hidden between his arms. His heart is pounding and he can't stop thinking.

When he hears the door opening with a “bam” Harry almost jumps off the bed and turns his face toward the door, where Louis is standing.

“Harry,” Louis murmurs and hurries towards Harry, hugging him tightly. Harry can't help but start crying helplessly.

“I'll wait outside,” Paul says but neither Harry or Louis pay attention to him.

“Babe, babe what's wrong?” Louis asks frantic, his hands running through Harry's hair in an attempt to calm him down.

Harry is sobbing. Properly sobbing, choking on his own breath. He knows he's scaring Louis, but God – he can't speak, the words just won't come out of his mouth and he is _so_ sorry.

“Harry,” Louis whispers holding him tightly against his chest, coddling him slowly.

Harry breathes deeply.

“I'm pregnant.” he finally says and waits for Louis to freak out.

He doesn't.

Harry can feel Louis freezing for a second and then he starts laughing, relief in his voice

“Thank God,” Louis murmurs and kisses Harry head, holding him close. “Thank God, thank God, thank God...”

He repeats those words like a mantra without ever letting Harry go.

Harry is, nevertheless, confused.

“Lou...” he starts and Louis lets him go for the only purpose to look at him in his eyes.

“I thought you were, like, properly sick. As in, bad illness-sick.” Louis says and kisses him, drying Harry's tears from his face. “I'm just so happy.”

“Lou,” Harry repeats again, not sure Louis understood. “Louis – I'm pregnant.”

Louis smiles fondly at him.

“I heard you the first time, love.”

“But...” Harry doesn't know what to say. “Is that, uhm, okay?”

Louis looks at him like he is crazy.

“Of course it's okay, Harry. Jesus, we are talking about our baby here.”

Harry's heart aches when he hears those words. _Our baby._ Their baby. Half Harry and half Louis.

He wants to cry again.

Louis looks at him, a confused expression drawn on his face.

“Love, what's wrong?” he asks and Harry just shakes his head.

“Can we... can we just go home, please?” his voice is pleading. He doesn't care.

Louis nods slowly, more perplex.

Dr. Connell enters in the room again in that moment. He is smiling and cheerful and Harry can't even stand to see someone smiling right now..

“We are – uhm. We are going, then,” Harry says and the doctor nods.

“Well you should go and get an ultrasound in the next couple of weeks, during the sixth and the eight week is the best time to see the baby and check how things are proceeding. As you are already noticing, you'll keep experiencing morning sickness and a few other disorders but as inconvenient as they are for you, they show the baby is healthy and growing strong.”

Louis holds Harry's hand in reassurance at those words.

“Try not to stress yourself out too much, you should also stop drinking or smoking if you do for the baby's health. Try to avoid drinking caffeine as well.”

“Can you tell us something more about the baby?” Louis asks and Harry can perceive the excitement in his voice.

“I'd like to, but I'm afraid I can't. Harry is only five weeks along and, at this point, even an ultrasound wouldn't be useful – it would be impossible for me to even notice a heartbeat or anything else. You should schedule a doctor appointment in the next couple of weeks to find out more.”

Louis nods. “Thank you, doctor,” he then says and shakes his hand.

“My pleasure. Good luck for everything and congratulations!”

Harry smiles gingerly and gets out of the room, Louis close to his side.

Paul and Alberto are sitting outside the room.

“Is everything alright?” Paul asks and at Harry and Louis' nods he stands up. “Let's go get some sleep, then.”

Harry looks at the clock on the wall and notices that it's almost midnight. They're leaving to go back to London at seven o'clock the next day – he doubts he will get any sleep.

Harry is silent the whole way to the hotel. He curls up against Louis side on the car and breathes in his neck, just enjoying his boyfriend presence. They get into the hotel from the back so that no fans will notice them and Harry still refuses to let Louis go, clinging at him tightly. Louis doesn't seem to mind and just holds him back. Once they get to their floor at the hotel, Paul and Alberto say goodnight and disappear in their own hotel rooms.

Louis had sent a text to Niall, Liam and Zayn on the way back from the hospital and told them not to worry, that they would speak to them in the morning and to not wait them up. Harry is relieved when he doesn't see them waiting in Harry and Louis' room – he doesn't think he would be able to have a proper conversation with them about what's happening. Especially considering that he still yet has to talk with Louis.

“I am going to take a shower,” Harry says and Louis nods slowly. Harry disappears in the bathroom and turns the water on, taking his clothes off. The warm water on his skin is a relief; he feels instantly better and closes his eyes, trying to clear his mind. He passes instinctively his hands on his tummy, half expecting to already feel the baby inside.

Harry doesn't know how long he stays under the water, but when he finally gets out his hands are wrinkled. He puts a towel around his waist and steps out of the bathroom.

Louis is waiting him sitting on the bed, changed into the shirt he uses to sleep in. When he sees Harry he smiles fondly at him.

“Your mum called,” Louis informs him and Harry mentally kicks himself for forgetting to call her. “I told her that you would talk to her tomorrow and that you are fine.”

“Thanks,” Harry whispers while wearing a pair of boxers and a shirt to sleep.

“Do you want a cup of tea?” Louis asks and Harry shakes his head. He finally sits next to Louis and Louis leans in to hug him.

Harry relaxes into the touch, snuggling closer to Louis.

They stay silent for a couple of minutes, until Louis speaks. “What's wrong, love?”

Harry bits his lower lip. “I'm pregnant, Louis.”

He has probably repeated that same line ten times in a few hours, but he doesn't care.

“You are,” Louis confirms, but this time Harry doesn't hear a smile in his voice. “Is it a bad thing?”

“Lou...”

“You don't – you don't want to keep the baby?”

Harry's heart stops. That's not what he meant. “What? No. God, no. Of course I want to keep the baby.”

Louis breathes deeply in relief.

“Then what is it? You don't seem happy,” Louis asks, his hands caressing Harry's body with tenderness.

“It's just – there are so many things that are not right,” Harry says stuttering.

“Like what?”

“Like – we are in the middle of a worldwide tour. We have another album due to be released in November. Our lives are so busy, we barely have time to visit our own families, how are we supposed to raise a child? And we are in the closet, Lou! We can't keep a pregnancy a secret! And what if they are going to ask us to not keep the baby? What if -”

“Harry”, Louis interrupts him, but now that Harry has started talking he doesn't seem able to stop.

“This is not how I had planned things to be going! We were supposed to first come out, then get married and eventually have a baby! Not the other way around! What are we going to do? How can we deal with all this? And this is not going to influence just our lives, but Liam, Zayn and Niall's as well and what if this -”

Louis puts a finger on Harry's lips and he shuts up immediately.

“As long as you really want this, Harry, we can figure out the rest. So, I'm going to ask you again: are you sure you want to have this baby?”

Harry doesn't have to think twice. He just nods immediately. He has his and Louis' baby in him, he is not going to fuck this up just because he is scared.

“Do you?” he asks Louis and the older boy smiles widely.

“Of course I do, love. I wasn't expecting this to happen so soon but it doesn't matter. I love you. We are going to be parents together like we have always dreamed... I want this.”

Harry nods and shifts his position so that they are lying on the bed, Harry's head on Louis' chest.

“But what about everything else?” he asks tentatively. “The tour... and the new album...”

“Well, I guess we'll have to talk with management and the label for the details, but... The doctor said you are about five weeks, right?”

At Harry's nod, Louis starts counting mentally.

“This means that the baby should be due sometime in January. Our last concert is in October – we could have a break just like at the beginning of this year so that you can spend the last trimester at home.”

“As for the new album, we will talk with the management about that. They could just postpone the release date of a couple of months. We'll find a way, babe. Don't worry about that,” Louis says and Harry is so glad that his boyfriend always knows what to do.

“I love you so much,” Harry whispers and Louis kisses his head. “Sorry if I snapped at you earlier.”

Louis laughs quietly. “It's okay, love. I guess I'm going to have to get used to the mood swings.”

Harry pouts a bit and Louis kisses his head again. “And I love you too. So much.” he adds. “I can't believe we are going to be dads.”

Harry almost purrs at the thought. He is more relaxed, reassured by Louis' ideas and reaction to the news.

“Lou,” he says after a few minutes of blissful silence.

“Yes?”

“What about the closet?”

“I guess they are going to let us come out a few years earlier than predicted.”

Harry hides his smile in Louis' chest.

 


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Louis and Harry announce the pregnancy to some people. While in London, they have the first visit with their doctor.

When they wake up the next day they are still hugging in the same position they fell asleep after what Louis has called “an healthy session of celebratory sex”. They have barely slept, two hours top and Harry is exhausted. Louis kisses him good morning and Harry throws up five minutes later. He realises morning sickness won't just stop because he now knows he is pregnant, thank you very much, and he miserably brushes his teeth and drinks some fresh water whereas Louis assists him, but while the day before he was doing it with concern, he now has the brightest smile painted on his face. Harry wants to hit him a bit.

Louis takes care of locking all their bags while Harry gets dressed – the sun has barely rose and Harry wants to go back to sleep. When he says so he gains a fond smile by Louis.

“You can sleep on the bus, love,” Louis reassures him and Harry groans.

They close the hotel room behind them once they are sure they haven't forgotten anything inside and head to the hall downstairs. It's still relatively early before they are supposed to meet with the rest of the crew, so Harry figured the other boys wouldn't have been there already – but they are. They are sitting on the sofas in the hall, talking quietly to each other, until they spot him and Louis and Liam gets up immediately.

“Harry!” he almost yells and hurries to hug him. Harry laughs a bit and hugs him back.

“You are such a drama queen,” Harry says and Liam lets go of him.

“Well, excuse me for caring. You gave us quite a scare,” Liam argues and Harry blushes.

“Didn't do it on purpose,” Harry says and Zayn makes a sound between a grunt and a laugh.

“Wasn't implying you did,” he says and Harry shrugs again.

Louis and Harry join the others and sit on the sofa next to each other and Harry feels uncomfortable under the other boys' alerted looks.

“So, are you okay?” Niall finally asks and Louis and Harry exchange a look.

“Uhm, yes I'm fine,” Harry says gingerly.

There's a moment of silence.

“What is it, then?” Zayn asks and he sounds vaguely annoyed. To be honest, Harry would be annoyed as well if he were him, so he doesn't blame him.

“Well,” Harry begins and stops immediately. He realises it's a very easy concept to say, but he still can't bring himself to say it aloud. Announcing it to other people would make it even realer than it already is.

“Let's just say,” Louis interrupts him and Harry smiles gratefully. “That Harry is fine but he won't stop, you know, puking or having weird moods for a while.”

“Heeeey.”

“Sorry, love. You know it's the truth.”

Niall, Liam and Zayn still look at them like they have no idea what they are talking about.

“Does this mean it's just a stomach flu?” Niall hazards and Harry shakes his head.

“Harry,” Zayn says and Harry can hear in his voice that he is on the verge of yelling at him. Which is weird, because Zayn rarely loses his patience. Harry suspects that the absence of sleep is making him more grumpy than usual. “If you don't tell us what happened yesterday, I promise you I'm going to set fire to your entire collection of headscarves.”

Harry laughs light-hearted – only Zayn could threaten something like that.

“Okay,” he says after a minute. “First of all, I want you to know that we didn't plan this, we didn't want this to happen in this moment of our lives...”

“But now that it did happen we are very happy about it,” Louis interrupts him and Harry nods.

“Oh God,” Niall giggles. “You make it sound like you are pregnant.” Harry and Louis exchange a look and Niall opens his mouth in disbelief.

“Are you shitting me?!” he almost screams. “Seriously?!”

Liam looks incredulous and Zayn has his mouth open.

“Er, no. Five weeks, apparently,” Harry says and he can feel himself beaming.

“But... how?” Liam says shocked.

“Well Liam, when two people love each other very much...” Louis begins and Liam hits him with a cushion. Louis laughs.

“Shit guys,” Zayn says and Harry looks at each of them, trying to understand how they feel about it beside their obvious surprise.

There's a fifteen second of silence. Then, Niall yells. “I _demand_ to be the godfather. I don't give a fuck about anything else, all right, I am the godfather. End of the story.”

Harry hears Louis laughing relieved by his side and holds his hand tightly.

“Why you? You are already Theo's godfather, and Zayn is Brooklyn's. I am no one's godfather, it should be me this time,” Laim argues offended.

“Have you ever thought that maybe no one gave you such responsibility for a reason?” Niall laughs and Liam pouts.

“Uh that was harsh,” Zayn comments and Niall laughs again.

“Truth hurts. Sorry mate.”

“Fuck you, Horan,” Liam says roughly, but he is smiling a second later.

Harry looks at them with a smile.

“So, is that okay?” he eventually asks and the other boys focus on him again. At their confused faces, he explains again. “I mean, this is going to change so many things and...”

“Harry,” Louis starts, but Harry interrupts him. “It's right that I ask, Lou.”

“Haz,” Zayn says softly. “Of course it's okay. What were you expecting? That we would ask you not to keep your baby?”

“No,” Harry clarifies immediately. “Absolutely not, but it's only right that I ask you. This is going to change a lot of our plans for this year, probably for next year as well. Starting from the new album, to the fact that me and Louis are going to come out -”

“You are coming out?” Niall asks excited and Louis shushes him.

“Do not yell it just yet, mate, would you?”

“Sorry, but – this is great!”

“Well, we haven't talked with the management yet,” Harry starts, coughing awkwardly. “But, I mean, I don't know what else they could do...? It's not like they can say a girl got me pregnant.”

“Oh, I don't know,” Zayn says with a smirk. “Knowing what they've said in the past, they might as well say that.”

“Or say that it's the second coming of Christ.” Niall adds.

“Nah, Harry should be a virgin for that and this would be against everything they've been saying in the past four years.”

“Mr Four hundred and ten girls in a year,” Zayn giggles and Harry laughs.

“What can I say, I'm a prodigy.”

“You surely are,” Louis says with a smirk and Harry blushes.

“Ew. You two are disgusting,” Niall comments and Harry just brushes it off.

“So, more baby related news? Do you know anything?” Liam enquiries, changing the topic of the conversation once again.

“Nope – the doctor said we have to see a doctor in the next couple of weeks. Harry is too far behind to be able to tell anything,” Louis explains. “I'm going to call a doctor in these days to make an appointment.”

The other boys nod and Harry leans his head on Louis' shoulder and the older boys puts a hand around his waist.

They quietly chat for a while until Paul arrives along with Alberto and a few other crew members.

“Good morning lads,” Paul says and immediately his eyes land on Harry.

“We already told them everything,” Harry explains and Paul nods in agreement.

“We are going to need to talk a bit on the bus. Let's go, then.”

They all follow him quietly, getting inside the car outside of the hotel. There are no fans outside due to the early hour so they can get outside without any trouble and they reach the car park where the tour bus is waiting for them.

They all get inside and spread on the bus quickly – Zayn immediately lays in a bunk, while Liam and Niall throw themselves on the couch. It's a seven hour journey to arrive to London from Edinburgh, they might as well get themselves comfortable.

Harry is about to happily follow Zayn in his own bunk to get some more sleep, when Paul touches his arm and catches his attention.

“Can we talk now?” Paul asks and Harry bites his lower lip in disappointment. He is about to say that, sure, they can talk, but Louis intervenes.

“Can we do it later?” he asks. “We barely slept last night.”

At his words, Harry nods quickly and Paul lets them go.

“My hero,” Harry murmurs once they are lying on Louis' bunk, completely dressed except for the shoes that they have thrown somewhere in the room.

Louis laughs softly and spoons him from behind, a hand on his waist.

“Get some sleep, love” whispers Louis and he doesn't have to repeat it twice.

When Harry wakes up, he is alone. He blinks several times, realising that someone put a blanket on him while he was asleep. He smiles and checks the time – he slept for five hours.

Harry decides that that's a good time to get up and gets out of his bunk.

“Look who's awake!” Niall yells the minute he steps out of the room and Harry groans.

“Don't scream, I beg you,” he says and Nialls laughs.

Louis is smiling at him from the chair is sitting on and Harry approaches him and kisses him lightly.

“You slept well?” Louis asks and Harry nods. “I was about to wake you up myself – think we need to talk with Paul.”

“Sure, I'll just make something to eat, give me five minutes.”

Paul is nowhere to be seen anyway, so Harry reaches the small hob and makes a sandwich for lunch and grabs an orange as well. Paul steps out of the toilet the minute Harry has sit at the table near Louis and reaches them.

“Everything alright?” he asks and Louis says yes, Harry too busy munching to actually speak. “So, I thought we should start talking about what is going on and your ideas before we talk with the management or anyone else.”

Louis and Harry listen to him carefully.

“So, do you have any plan or idea for how to manage the next months?” Paul asks.

“Well,” Louis starts. “We have decided to keep the baby, obviously – Paul nods like he didn't have any doubt – and at this point we think that we should come out.”

Louis has talked tentatively, which is unusual for him, but they both know how delicate the whole coming out situation is. They are not worried about Paul's reaction to their idea, as he has always showed nothing but support to them and has often criticised the way their management handles their relationship. The management's reaction is the one they actually fear.

“Well, it makes sense of course. You can't keep a baby a secret, can you? I don't think management can argue at this point,” Paul says supportively and both Harry and Louis smile, holding their hands under the table.

“They can't, uhm,” Harry starts and he knows what he is about to say is crazy, but he has this voice in his head suggesting him the worst things that could ever happen, and he wants to shut it up. “They can't ask me to get an abortion, right?”

Louis' hands tights his grip around Harry's and Harry squeezes it in response.

“Absolutely not. It's unethical and they can't legally propose you this option,” Paul explains immediately, his voice firm, and Harry sighs in relief.

“We are also concerned about the new album,” Louis admits. “It's supposed to be released in November – if Harry is about five weeks now, the baby should be due sometime in January and he definitely can't travel during the last trimester to promote it.”

“Yes, I did have a thought about that,” Paul says. “I'm only thinking out-loud here, as I said I haven't talked with any of the managers and they don't know anything yet, but what I think they could do, and I am going to propose to them, is that you could do more interviews and start to promote the new album while you are on tour instead of waiting after the tour has finished. It's going to be more work for you, but that gives you the chance to have a break from November. In this was the release date can remain pretty much the same.”

Harry nods enthusiastically.

“That would work!” he says and Paul smiles briefly.

“Have you told anyone yet?” he then asks and Louis shakes his head.

“Just the boys so far – but I guess we should tell our mums soon. Anne in particular, she was worried yesterday night and I think we should tell her as soon as possible,” says Louis and Harry nods in agreement.

“I'd like to wait to end the first trimester before telling the public, to be honest,” Harry says. “But I guess that by the time management sorts all things out and we'll be able to actually make an announcement it's going to be well past then.”

“Yes, probably,” Paul agrees. “Okay, I'm going to talk with the management and tell them what is going on so that you don't have to do it. They'll call you for a meeting in the next couple of days so be ready to receive that call.”

“Thank you, Paul,” Louis says honestly.

Paul just shrugs. “It's my job.” then, after a pause, he adds. “You know guys, I'm happy for you. I didn't tell you anything yesterday, but congratulations. That baby is going to be so lucky to have you as parents.”

Harry feels like he might burst into tears any second now. He blames the hormones.

“Thank you a lot,” he manages to say and Paul pats his shoulder.

“Go join your friends there, now. I'll tell you when we are about to arrive to London,” he says and Harry and Louis obey.

The rest of the journey passes by without trouble; they play FIFA and Niall beats Harry six to two, but then Louis revenge him by winning another round. They eat junkie food and watch an episode of Shameless on TV – Niall can't shut up about how fit Fiona is and Zayn expresses his love for Karen with a passion.

When they get to London, they separate with a hug and Liam, Niall and Zayn make Harry and Louis promise them to keep them updated on the baby-situation, as they call it. Harry doubts there will be any update in a three days time but promises anyway.

When him and Louis finally get home, they sigh in relief and leave their luggages in the middle of the hall and just lay on the couch.

“Please, tell me you've asked Penny to fill the pantry,” Louis begs him, referring to Harry's personal assistant. “I don't have the strength to go grocery shopping.”

“I called her two days ago,” Harry groans. “Everything should be in the kitchen.”

“Bless her,” Louis comments and they stay in silence for a while.

“Babe,” Harry says at some point and Louis hums to let him know he is paying attention. “Should I tell about the baby to my mum now?”

Louis stretches his back and yawns. “I think you should, yes. Give her some mental peace after last night – plus, she's your mum. Don't you want to tell her?”

“I do,” Harry says. “It's just – it feels weird. To tell her that her twenty year old closeted son got knocked up in the middle of a stadium worldwide tour.”

Louis laughs and Harry's heart squeezes at that beautiful sound. “Well it does sound weird when you put it like that.”

“I don't 'put it like that'. It's the truth,” Harry pouts and Louis laughs some more.

“Why don't you call her while I bring our stuff upstairs? Then we can watch a film or something like that,” Louis proposes and Harry hums in agreement.

He closes himself in the studio, phone clinched in his trembling hands. Harry digits his mum's phone and listens to the phone ring.

Anne replies shortly after, her voice soft.

“Hello?” she says and Harry smiles a bit.

“Hi mum,” he greets her and Anne sighs in relief.

“Harry! Finally, I was about to call you myself. Are you okay? Where are you? How are you feeling?” she asks quickly, worry in her voice.

“Louis and I just got home. I'm fine mum, sorry for not calling you yesterday night – I was exhausted.”

“I get it, love, but you gave me quite a scare. Thank goodness Louis replied when I tried to called you and told me you were fine,” Anne says with worry in her voice and Harry bites his lower lip, feeling guilty.

“I am really sorry,” he says honestly.

“It's okay, Harry. Just, don't do this again,” his mum says and then laughs a bit to ease the tension. “So, tell me, how are you feeling?”

“I'm better,” he begins gingerly. “I've been sick again this morning, but I know why this is happening now, so that's good.”

“Oh baby,” Anne sighs. “What is it, then? A stomach flu like you thought?”

“Er, no, not really,” Harry says passing the hand which is not holding the phone nervously through his hair. “Where are you, mum?”

“At home,” Anne replies confused. “Why?”

“Just wanted to make sure you weren't, you know, driving or anything like that.”

“I am not. What's it, Harry? You are scaring me again.”

“Mum,” he begins. He coughs, trying to buy some time. “Mum, I... I'm pregnant.”

He talks way too fast, but considering the sudden silence on the other side of the phone his mum must have heard him.

“Mum,” Harry says slowly, but Anne's voice interrupts him.

“Are you really?” her voice is cracking, like she might start crying in any second.

Harry smiles widely. “I really am, mum.”

“Oh, my God,” Anne says and she doesn't say anything else for a few more seconds. “Babe, that's... that's amazing.”

Harry is laughing now, loud and light-hearted. “For a second I thought you were going to yell at me,” he says and Anne laughs as well, but Harry can hear that she is crying.

“I'm just so happy, babe. Oh, my God!” Anne excitingly says a few more sentences that Harry doesn't quite understand but pretends that he does. “How far along are you now?”

“The doctor said about five weeks. Louis is going to get an appointment in the next week for a first visit,” Harry explains and Anne is properly crying at this point. “Mum please, you are going to make me cry as well...”

“I'm sorry, I'm sorry love. It's just such an unexpected but beautiful news, I don't even know what to do with myself right now,” Anne apologises, a smile in her voice.

They talk for fifteen more minutes and after being told not to tell anything to anyone except for Robin just yet, and promising that she will come down to London a day earlier than she had planned to to see their concert so that they can talk properly, Anne says goodbye.

When Harry goes back in the living room, Louis is laying on the couch, legs spread on the table in front of him and completely relaxed.

“You okay, love?” he says and Harry beams at him, laying next to him.

“She took it quite well,” Harry announces. “She's coming here a day earlier then predicted.”

Louis nods. “I figured – we'll set the guest room tomorrow, then.” Harry leans his head on Louis' chest, feeling relieved.

“What about we watch a film now and we don't worry about anything for a couple more hours?” Louis proposes and Harry couldn't agree more.

***

Management calls two days later. To be quite honest, Louis and Harry are surprised they didn't call earlier, but they find out that Paul had kept the news a secret for a while to give them a few days of break.

Surprisingly, Will doesn't seem too upset on the phone. He just tells them that he has already took an appointment with a doctor and that they are going to discuss everything after the visit. The doctor appointment is not scheduled for another week – when Harry is probably going to be through the sixth week of pregnancy – so both him and Louis can relax for a few more days. Anne arrives the same day as John calls and spends the day discussing baby stuff with the couple. Harry is so grateful that his mum is with him, especially when the morning after her arrival he gets sick the minute he steps out of the bed and she coddles him, cooking breakfast for him and Louis and giving her son lots of advices about how to survive the first trimester – the worst, in terms of morning sickness and other complaints. (“Except for the last month,” she then adds. “The last month is a real nightmare.”)

Harry listens to all his mum's tips and writes them down on his journal, hoping they will help – they do, for the most part, starting from a new diet. Harry has always been more careful about what he eats than Louis, but now that he is pregnant, he pays more attention to everything that gets into his mouth (except for Louis' dick, but that's beyond the point).

Anne teaches him to cook more meals based on fruits, vegetables and general healthy food. She tells him to avoid to eat ham or any other kind of uncooked meal – Harry says goodbye to sushi with sadness.

They reunite with the boys the day after for the first of the three concerts in London and everything goes smoothly. Harry had tweeted the day after the concert in Edinburgh that he was okay and thanked the fans for their get well wishes, but he still spots a few posters in the public wishing him to get better soon. Harry smiles at the fans who hold them and waves them hi.

Harry can't stop smiling – he knows the baby inside him can't hear anything yet, at this stage of the pregnancy it's not even considered a foetus yet, but he still sings every song with the clearly intent for the life that is growing inside him to hear him.

Before they know it, the day of the appointment with the doctor has arrived. Harry had barely slept the night before, too excited to even try to sleep. He had instead spent the hours while lying awake in the dark tracing lines on his still flat stomach, Louis' quiet breathe to keep him company.

As soon as Will had given them the name of the doctor, Louis had immediately googled it. Dr. Eliza Hawley is, as they find out, a professional specialised in male pregnancies and they find several medical articles citing her as one of the best doctors around. They also discover that she was the doctor who had assisted Elton John during his difficult pregnancy, with a direct quote by the singer himself in which he greatly thanks her for her help. Both reassured by the news, Louis and Harry get inside Dr. Hawley's office more relaxed, knowing that they are at least in good hands.

“Mr Styles,” Dr. Hawley greets him with a smile the minute they step inside the office, leaning her hand to shake Harry's. “Mr Tomlinson.” Louis shakes her hand as well and greets her.

They sit behind Dr. Hawley's big desk while she sits in front of them.

“So Harry, how are you feeling?” she asks after offering them if they want something to drink.

“Better than I did a couple of days ago,” Harry starts to explain. “I've had a bad nausea and used to get very sick for a week or so, and I still do, but it's a bit better. I've started to eat more healthily as my mum suggested me and I've been a bit better ever since.”

The doctor writes a couple of notes on a paper and nods attentively.

“When did you start to get sick?”

“Er... it was about two weeks ago?” Harry turns to Louis and the boy nods. “Yes, two weeks ago.”

“Have you had any other particular disorder except for the nausea?”

Dr. Hawley keeps asking questions for about twenty minutes and Harry answers, feeling more and more relaxed listening to her quiet and soothing voice. Harry has already decided that he likes this doctor – not only is competent, but has only a friendly and nice way to approach him and Louis.

When she finishes the questions, Dr. Hawley asks Harry to sit on the doctor's table and measures his pressure and his weight, the lot while chatting with Louis who is sitting in a corner, waiting.

“All right, everything seems absolutely in the norm so far,” Dr. Hawley says with a smile and Harry beams happily. “Would you like to try and see the little one in there?”

Harry and Louis exchange an excited look and immediately agree.

“Lay down, Harry,” says the doctor and Harry obliges while Louis scoots closer to him and immediately tights their hands together.

“Lift up your shirt and unbutton your jeans, please,” Dr. Hawley asks nicely and when Harry has done it, she shows them a bottle of plastic. “This is going to be cold.”

Harry shivers when the liquid touches his belly, his heart beating faster and faster.

“I am not sure we are going to be able to see anything clearly,” she warns them. “So don't be disappointed or worried if we don't hear the heartbeat today. It still might be too early.”

Harry can barely restrain himself from asking her to please just move when she finally puts the machine on him.

Harry holds his breath while looking at the screen of the ultrasound. He doesn't even realise Louis is holding his hand so tightly it almost hurts, too focused on what might be their child.

The doctor is moving the machine slowly across Harry's stomach, mumbling quietly. “They are so small and are so good to play hide and seek, really!” she laughs reassuringly. “It always takes time to find them during the first couple of months – oh wait.”

Harry is about to ask “what?” when a small, tiny figure appears on the screen. He sucks in a breath and holds Louis' hand even tighter.

“Here it is!” Dr Hawley exclaims. She moves her hand even more slowly to catch the entire figure. “See, that is the baby's tiny head...”

Harry is so overwhelmed with emotions, he doesn't even know what to do. He stares at his _baby's_ small body, not even fully formed, and he can't believe that something this beautiful is growing inside him.

“Wait, I want to see if we can find the heartbeat,” she says and not even a minute later, a loud _tum-tum-tum_ echoes in the room.

Dr. Hawley is saying something, but Harry is not paying attention anymore. He doesn't even realise he is crying until Louis' face gets closer to his and kisses briefly his tears, before kissing his lips. When they break their kiss, Harry sees that Louis is crying as well and they just stare at each other's eyes, holding their hands together so tightly that they knuckles have become white. Their child's heartbeat echoes in the background.

“I just... I can't even...” Harry tries to say, but just ends weeping some more while Dr. Hawley stares at them softly.

“The first ultrasound is always the most moving,” she tells them with a smile.

Harry looks at the screen again, drying his tears from his face.

“I'd say you are seven weeks along now, Harry,” she explains once she knows he and Louis will pay attention to what she is saying. “You were more likely at your sixth week when you visited the other doctor. The baby looks healthy and so do you, so far this is a pretty standard pregnancy.”

After a few minutes, the doctor turns the screen off and Harry makes a disappointed expression, wanting to look at it a little bit longer. She hands him some tissues and Louis helps him to clean the gel off his stomach. Once they are done, they sit on the chairs where they were sitting earlier during the visit.

“So,” Dr. Hawley starts. “As I said, everything seems good, both for you and the baby. You are about to hit the third month and you are doing great so far. I know that the morning sickness – Harry grunts, wishing it was just in the morning – is a pain and so are all the others aches, but they really just show how healthily the baby is growing. However,” and now, her tone changes. It becomes more serious, professional. “I know you both realise that this is not going to be a normal pregnancy. Considering your professions and especially these particular months in your lives, you are going to have to be twice as careful, Harry, especially until the end of the first trimester.”

“Your life style at the moment is very frenetic and this can become a problem with the pregnancy. I know it's hard, but you really have to stick to the rules I'm going to give you so that the baby can grow correctly. You've done great so far, but you still have a more month before the risk of a miscarriage is going to lower.”

Harry stares scarily at her.

“Should I stop touring?” he asks and he can see Louis tensing by his side.

“I don't think that is necessary. You are not the first musician I've followed who was pregnant while on tour – they all gave birth to healthy, beautiful children. You just need to be careful: eat healthily, drink as much water as possible everyday, try to sleep at least eight hours every night and possibly nap a bit during the day. Rest is very important and travelling can be very stressful for you and the baby. Understood?”

Harry nods quickly. “Absolutely, I'll do everything.”

“I was thinking,” Louis says, speaking for the first time in a while. “We always have a doctor who travels with us during the tour – maybe we could hire someone who is also an obstetrician? For any immediate issue, if we'll ever have one.”

Louis seems nervous and a bit pale, Harry thinks, so he holds his hand and gives him a fond look.

“That's a brilliant idea, Louis. Having someone who can monitor you throughout the pregnancy everyday can be very helpful, Harry,” Dr. Hawley says with a big smile. “Of course, I am more than happy to visit you whenever you are in London, or you can either call me if you have any other enquiry.”

Harry immediately agrees with the idea and takes the card Dr. Hawley is handing him.

The air in the room is still a bit tense, Louis is too rigid by his side, so Harry decides to break the ice with another question, changing completely the topic.

“When are we going to be able to discover the sex?” he asks and he can see Louis smiling softly, a bit more relaxed.

“Well, technically it's possible from the twelfth week on. It depends, though. Sometimes the baby won't show anything for a while longer. We can definitely arrange a visit next time you'll be here in London and give it a try,” Dr. Hawley explains and Harry nods enthusiastically.

A bit later, after the doctor prescribes him a series of pregnancy vitamins and gives him a list of things he should not do or either start doing and, more importantly, the picture of the ultrasound of the baby, Louis and Harry both say their goodbyes and leave the office.

***

On the way home, Harry chats excitingly, repeating several times the same things Dr. Hawley told them. Now that he has got over the shock of the unplanned pregnancy, he can't stop imagining how amazing everything is going to be. Harry knows it's not going to be easy – not in the slightest, starting from the meeting with the management that they are going to have the day after – but he _knows_ that everything is going to be alright in the end. He can feel it in his bones. So, he doesn't worry and holds tightly the envelope with the picture of Louis and his baby in it instead.

On the other hand, Louis is weirdly quiet. He talks with Harry and shares his excitement, but Harry can feel that he is absent, his mind wandering somewhere else.

He promises himself he will talk to him once they are in the peace of their home.

They stop on the way home to buy all the vitamins Dr. Hawley has prescribed Harry and to do some grocery shopping (“We are out of oranges, Louis, okay? I need them. I'm going to keep you awake all night if I don't have oranges before going to bed.” “Of all the pregnancy cravings you could have, you choose to spend your days eating fruits. I really don't get you, Styles.”), to then definitely head home.

Louis is getting quieter and quieter and, while they are setting all the food they've bought in the kitchen, Harry decides to speak to him.

“Babe,” he says, catching his boyfriend's attention. “What's wrong?”

Louis finishes to put a box of cereals in the cupboard and turns towards Harry, who's leaning against the island in the middle of the kitchen.

“It's just -” Louis starts, struggling to find the words. “I don't know, all those discussions about your and the baby's health set me off.”

“I can tell,” Harry whispers softly and reaches an hand toward Louis, who grabs it and gets closer to Harry.

“I am thinking that maybe we should stop touring,” Louis announces and before Harry can say anything, he adds. “I'm serious. I don't want to risk anything.”

Louis' chest is now pressing against Harry's, the taller boy's arms wrapped against the shortest one's waist.

“Lou,” Harry says. “I promise you that in the moment I feel like something is wrong, I'll stop. I know that in the past I've ignored when I was feeling ill or whatever... but it's not just me this time. It's about our child. I would never do anything to risk their health. But don't... don't panic, okay? It's going to be alright. You heard the doctor, I just have to be a bit careful. I can do this.”

Louis is looking at Harry like he is the Sun, the Moon and the whole universe. Like he is the most beautiful thing that ever happened to him.

“I love you a lot,” Louis says and Harry smiles down at him.

“Love you too, Lou. And I love this little one here,” he puts Louis hand on his flat stomach, as if he could already feel something. “I promise you everything is going to be okay.”

Louis believes him.

***

The meeting with the management the next day is interesting, to say the least. Harry and Louis meet Wiill and two of the other heads of Modest! Management, Richard Griffiths and Harry Magee, in one of the big conference room of the building. They are welcomed with shakes of hands and smiles and, to be honest, Harry doesn't feel comfortable. He likes to work with some of the members of their management, but not with these three and in particular not when they have to discuss such a delicate topic.

Will begins the meeting by asking them a bit about their lives, doing some small talk, probably to ease the tension in the room – as much as Harry is not one of his biggest fans, he appreciates the effort.

When they finally start talking about the real reason why they are there, Harry Magee starts by asking them how the doctor appointment had been. Harry explains briefly what Dr. Hawley had told them, and Louis insists on the fact that Harry will need some rest. The three managers listen to them carefully and once the two boys have finished, they start giving Louis and Harry some options.

Paul was right and none of them openly asks Harry to not keep the baby, however at some point Richard makes a comment that startles Harry and makes Louis hiss. He doesn't say “you should not keep the baby”, but only a fool wouldn't understand that that's what he meant. Harry can tell Louis is about to explode and snap at him – and possibly punch him. Harry is very fond of that idea, but he still puts a hand on Louis' knee, quieting him down. Louis immediately relaxes, but doesn't stop glaring at Richard for the whole time.

Within the various options the managers offer them – which some of them are so stupid Harry can't understand how they even are proposing them – the last one is, finally, the possibility to come out.

Louis and Harry, of course, push with that one.

“We have already talked with the other boys,” Harry says, trying to contain the excitement in his voice. “They agree we should do that.”

Neither of the three men seem happy, but they just sigh and nod.

Harry cannot believe this is really happening. He keeps himself from pinching his own face to make sure he is not dreaming.

“Considering the circumstances, this technically is even the best time to do it,” Harry Magee says. “Many fans already think that you and Eleanor are on the verge of a break-up anyway, Louis – we might as well make it clear that it's true that you are not a couple anymore.”  
Louis would like to tell him that they've never been a couple in the first place, but he keeps himself on check, Harry's hand still on his knee as a warning.

“We have to go through some details...” Will adds, and the other two nod in agreement. “but it can be done, I guess. Not that we have much of a choice at the time being.”

Harry smiles widely.

“I imagine that you would like to tell about the pregnancy when you come out,” Richard says, eyebrows raised in wonder.

“Well,” Louis comments. “We can't really hide a pregnancy, can we?” His voice is so sarcastic that Harry almost bursts into laughing.

“Very good,” Richard replies acidly. “We are going to take a while to go over all the details, but I guess you can come out in about a month or so. About that time, more or less.”

“Wouldn't want to do it sooner anyway,” Harry says. “We'd like to end the first trimester before communicating the news to anyone beside our closest friends and family.”

Will nods, understanding.

“How are we going to do it?” Louis asks. “Do we have to release an interview? Or maybe a written statement?”

Harry and Louis had always wanted to come out in an intimate way – thanks to a tweet, possibly – but they guess they can't expect such a thing. Just being able to come out before the time they were set to is a privilege. This is why, when Harry Magee speaks again, they both open their mouth in surprise.

“We want to test the audience's reaction first,” the head of Modest! says. “We don't want to spread any interviews, yet. You'll do lots of them once you will be actually out, but until then we would suggest something that doesn't involve any tv programme or such.”

Harry can't almost believe his ears.

“Maybe a video will be alright,” John suggests. “Like your fellow Tom Daily did. Something private.”

Louis and Harry are so surprised they actually don't say a word for a full minute.

“You mean... just us. Filming a video by ourselves. And that's it?” Louis asks incredulous.

Richard stares at Louis.

“Is it not what you want, Mr Tomlinson?”

Richard and Louis never got along – none of the boys liked Richard, to be fair, but Louis was the only one who never missed the occasion to remind him that.

Louis stares at him for a full five seconds before answering. “No, sir.”

“We'll tell you when you'll be able to actually release the video,” Will says hurriedly, sensing the tension in the room. “We'll keep in touch.”

Fifteen minutes later, Harry and Louis are in Louis' car, sitting still on their seats.

“I can't quite believe that,” Louis says, for the first time in a long time lacking of words. He just shakes his head in complete disbelief and starts the car.

(That night, their celebratory sex lasts four round. They kiss for so long that they have to break their kisses at some point to inhale some air. They sleep wrapped around each other, naked skin against naked skin, their hearts beating in synchrony.)

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this fanfic will have about six chapters - not sure yet though. I'm now working on the fourth one. :)  
> Thank you so much for your reviews and kudos, you're all so nice! xx


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The tour proceeds while Harry and Louis get ready to come out - and they do. In the meantime, there's another visit with Dr. Hawley and the baby's gender is revealed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning! This chapter includes the description of a specific test that many people run when they are pregnant, called amnioncentesis. I am not a doctor so there are going to be lots of medical inaccuracies in this chapter. The test involves a needle so if you are not comfortable with it just skip that part, it's not long anyway. x

The rest of the European leg of the tour proceeds smoothly. The fact that they are doing a stadium tour still amazes all of them, with no exception. The fans love them and the crowds are louder than ever.

A week after their meeting with the management, Louis and Harry received a call where John explained that the release of the articles announcing Louis and Eleanor's break up. They already suspected that it was a matter of days after Eleanor had sent a text to Louis a couple of days earlier saying “ _Just been sacked. Care to explain? Xxx_ ”. Louis had called her after that and had spent a good half a hour on the phone with her laughing – truth is, they both had grown so tired of the whole situation that they couldn't physically wait to get rid of the other. Louis tells her the truth after having received Harry's permission and Eleanor starts screaming her congratulations. Contrary to what most fans supporting Harry and Louis' relationship think, Louis and Eleanor do like each other. What Louis couldn't stand from the start and Eleanor had started hating as well after she had failed a year at university due to her constant absence from Manchester, was being forced to stay together and acting like the “lovely couple” everyone wanted them to be. If they had met in another occasion, they probably would have been closer.

Excited from the news, Louis and Harry start to act more freely on stage. They often touch and whisper to each other, which makes the part of the crowd that believes they are together go wild. Checking the reaction online, they also find that many people start believing that a coming out is close, whereas other more pessimists people try not to comment much about what is happening.

They haven't yet received a call from management telling them to release the video for their upcoming coming out, as they are probably monitoring the reaction online of Louis and Eleanor's break up.

The recent events made so that Louis is radiating happiness. He keeps laughing and smiling during the concerts and the interviews, he hugs the fans when he sees them and is more willing to take pictures with them that he ever was in the past. Harry is so happy to see his boyfriend like this that he can't stop smiling as well.

Not that things are going bad for him – on the contrary, everything seems to be perfect. The doctor that management hired to monitor him during the tour keeps telling him that he is doing great and that both him and the baby are healthy. Harry and Louis didn't get the chance to see the little one after the appointment with Dr. Hawley, and they are both looking forward to the next break so that they will meet her again. They know that between the tenth and the thirteenth week is advised to make another ultrasound to date exactly the pregnancy, to check the baby's heartbeat and whether the pregnancy is singular or twin. (When Harry had told him about the possibility, Louis had froze and started saying “oh God, no. Not at the first pregnancy, Jesus, please. Let us train with just one at first” and never really stopped worrying about it ever since, considering his mum's inclination to have twins.)

Harry's belly is still mostly flat, as it is supposed to be during the second month of pregnancy. He knows he will probably start showing for real around the fourth month, considering he has always been thin, and he just can't wait to show to the rest of the world that he is carrying Louis' baby in his belly. He can tell that Louis is looking forward to it, too – they have always been very possessive people, they have marked each other's skin in many ways, tattoos included, but a pregnancy is the ultimate way to show people that they belong to each other, and they cannot wait.

Despite the fact that he is not showing yet, Harry recognises that he is glowing, and he is not the only one: everyone notices, starting from the boys, to the crew, to his mum, to the fans.

It is not a theory shared by many, but some of the blogs that support Harry and Louis' relationship and that they often check to see what they think, start theorising that Harry is indeed pregnant and that is the reason why it seems like they are about to come out. One of them also makes a long post including some evidence that support their theory, which many people immediately agree on and share. Harry can't wait to prove them right.

However, the last month hadn't been just joy. Along with the imminent coming out come so many other responsibilities – first of all, telling the truth to their friends and part of the family who still don't know about Harry and Louis' relationship. It is not much of a problem for Harry, whose whole family knew about them from the start, but it is for Louis.

Louis' family had always been complicated, starting from his almost non existent relationship with his biological father, to his sisters. When Harry and he had first got together, Louis' sisters were all so young that he had decided not to tell them anything, afraid that they would reveal the truth – not on purpose, of course, but mistakes like this happen, especially when you are young. So, he had kept his mouth shut, telling the truth only to his mum, Mark, Dan and grandparents. Now that Eleanor is out of the picture and the truth will come up very soon anyway, Louis had decided to tell everything to his sisters.

During the two days break between the shows in Amsterdam and Milan, he takes a plane and flies back home, whereas Harry goes straight to Italy. He knows that travelling is stressful for both him and the baby, so he is trying to avoid as much as possible to travel back home during the short breaks between two different concerts as he usually would in a normal situation. He is sorry he sees his family even less than he already does, but they are all aware that they can't do much about it. He probably wouldn't have followed Louis anyway, even if he could have done it – this is something that Louis wants to do on his own.

When Louis arrives to Milan, he is tired and pale. He tells Harry that it didn't go too bad – probably better than he expected. Phoebe and Daisy are still too young and didn't quite understand what was going on, so their reaction had mostly been a bit confused at first at the whole “Eleanor is just a friend, always have been and will be, but we are not together” but then they had just shrugged and asked if they could go to watch some television. To Louis' surprise, Lottie had said she already suspected it and just hugged him. Fizzy, on the other hand, had gone mental.

As Louis explained once he saw Harry's horrified expression while listening to his boyfriend's words, she wasn't upset about him being gay. She was angry for the lies. She had screamed “You should have told me!” at least ten times before locking herself in her room. The next day, when Louis was about to leave again, she had finally got out – Louis suspects thanks to something Lottie told her –, told him she loved him no matter what and hugged him.

Plus, Harry still suffers a lot because of the not-only-morning sickness. As much as eating healthily had helped – which is not an easy thing to do when you are on tour and have several things to do during the day – there were still days where he just wanted to curl up somewhere and die. Harry knows that the fact that he is sick points that the baby is doing fine, but he is starting to wonder when this torture is going to finish. And during these days, Louis' protective mood kicks in.

It's not a news to anyone that Louis has always been overprotective over Harry. But ever since they found out they are pregnant, Louis had started to act even worse, keeping an eye on Harry as much as possible and fussing around him for the smallest things.

As much as Harry had felt a bit uneasy in the past when Louis acted like this, he can't say that he doesn't understand him in this situation, so he just lets him do whatever he wants. Sure, sometimes he is so moody because of the hormones that he will snap at Louis for nothing, but now Louis welcomes every snap with a grin and a smirk and possibly calling Harry “my moody babe”. Niall defines them disgusting. He is not wrong.

Coincidentally, the management call comes the day after the European leg of the tour has finished and Harry and Louis are back home in London. They have a two weeks break before they go back on the road, this time in North America, and they are planning to spend a few days in London, before heading up North to visit their families. Harry is now eleven weeks along and they have an appointment scheduled with Dr. Hawley in a couple of days.

Harry and Louis are quietly hanging in their living room, Louis at his phone, while Harry is laying his head on Louis' lap and reading a book. They had stayed in bed until midday, but they still don't feel like doing anything that will require them the minimum effort.

Harry's ringtone startles both of them and Harry answers the call without bothering to look at the number.

“Hello?” he says, yawning.

“Hello Harry, it's Will,” says a male voice from the other side of the phone and Harry sits up immediately.

“Will, hi,” Harry says and Louis turns at him with wide eyes. “How are you doing?”

“Not too bad, thanks Harry. Yourself?” Will asks politely.

“I'm alright, thanks. Enjoying the break.”

“I figured. Any baby related news?” Will says and Harry puts instinctively a hand on his belly – he is not showing yet, but his tummy is not as flat as it used to be even just a few weeks earlier.

“Not really, we have a doctor appointment scheduled in two days days,” Harry replies under Louis' attentive look.

“Good, good.” Will mumbles and Harry waits for him to say something else. There's a brief pause between the two of them, and right when Harry is about to ask the man if there's anything else he wanted to know, the manager talks.

“Well, we've been monitoring the public reaction in the last couple of weeks,” he starts and Harry immediately grabs Louis' hand in anticipation, putting the call on speaker. “And we think that this break is the best time for you and Louis to come out.”

Both Harry and Louis suck on a breath.

“Really?” Harry manages to say after a long break.

“Yes. By the time you'll be on tour again, we hope that the audience's reaction will have calmed down a bit. We are just asking you to not public anything beside your coming out during the break – so, no twitter, instagram, vines. Anything. You'll have plenty of occasions to do all these things after the rest of the team and I will have sorted out how to manage the audience according to their reaction. Is that okay?”

“Yes. Yes, it's okay.” Harry says and Louis nods immediately.

“Good. Do you already know when you will publish the video?” Will asks and this time is Louis the one to answer.

“I think we should wait until we have the doctor's appointment later this week,” he explains. “We are planning to go to visit our families in a few days, so maybe we could do that right before going North.”

“I agree. Just remember to let let us know right before you are posting it.”

“We will.” Harry promises.

Will sighs. “Okay guys. That's it. Good luck for everything, we will be in touch soon.”

Harry and Louis say their goodbyes and then end the call.

They stare at each other for ten seconds in complete silence before they literally start screaming. Harry doesn't even know what happens – a second they are sitting on the sofa, the next they are dancing in the middle of their living room, singing out loud and laughing. Louis takes Harry's head between his hands and kisses him. Their tongues lock, their breath shorten and after a while, they are not even properly kissing anymore, they are just panting against each other lips.

They do not even reach the bedroom before they get rid of their clothes.

***

The day in which Harry presumably hits the beginning of the second trimester, he wakes up more well rested that he ever did in the last two months. He got used to being sick almost every morning, or at least to feel nauseous, but that morning he doesn't.

He knew thanks to the pregnancy books Liam, Niall and Zayn gave him that the nausea should have started to fade starting from the third month on, but he certainly wasn't expecting to feel better the exact day he would presumably hit the second trimester. He was mostly expecting to be sick for a while longer – his mum had told him she had suffered from nausea up until the fifth month.

“You,” Harry says pointing at his belly. “are a tease, little one.”

Louis' side of the bed is empty, so Harry gets up and takes a shower and then heads downstairs. Louis is sitting in the kitchen, reading the newspaper with a cup of tea in his hand.

“'Morning, love,” he says once he spots Harry and leans his head to kiss him chastely on his lips. “There's still some hot water in the kettle.”

Harry thanks him and cheerfully makes his own breakfast. In the last couple of months, the nausea always prevented him from even trying to eat something other than dry biscuits, but now that he feels well, he grabs a frying pan and starts making some scrambled eggs.

Louis gives him a surprised look.

“Are you sure that's a good idea, Haz?” he asks, knowing that the last time he tried to eat eggs for breakfast he had been sick right on the floor.

Harry smiles widely at him. “I'm feeling amazing today, Lou. I'm not nauseous nor dizzy nor anything. I just feel good. I'm going to enjoy the moment until it lasts.”

Louis laughs amused and crinkles form by his eyes.

Harry finishes to cook and sits in front of Louis, tasting the salty taste of the eggs on his tongue.

“This baby is a tease, just like you. I can already feel it,” he states once he has made sure that the eggs don't make him nauseous.

“Yes? And why is that?” Louis giggles, a smirk drawn on his face.

“Because today is possibly the day that I hit the second trimester and technically all those annoying symptoms should start to fade starting from the third month on. I've been feeling like shit for two months and I just thought I'd feel the same for a while longer, you know? But apparently this little one has decided that he wants to prank me. He is teasing me, making fun of me, just like you,” Harry explains and Louis laughs cheerfully at his boyfriend's explanation.

“He?” Louis then asks rising an eyebrow and Harry blushes.

“I don't know... just feel like it's an he. I can't explain it, I have this feeling that it's going to be a boy.”

“Paternal instinct and all that?”

“Yes. Sixth sense. Paternal instinct. Whatever. I just feel like it's going to be a boy.”

Louis smiles. “Well, God only knows that after five sisters I wouldn't mind having a boy.”

“At least you have Ernest,” Harry smiles and Louis rolls his eyes.

“Still, one brother and five sisters. Six, if we consider Georgia.”

Harry shakes his head in amusement.

“So you wouldn't mind a boy?”

“Babe, I wouldn't mind if that baby was a freaking beluga whale. Seriously, boy, girl... I don't care. All I really care about is that that little one is healthy.”

Harry nods in agreement. They both know that the next doctor appointment is going to be really important – not only they are possibly going to find out the sex, which Harry is so excited about, but they also will have to run some tests to check if the baby is healthy. Dr. Hawley had proposed to them to run a series of test, some of those wouldn't have been necessary considering Harry's age and family history, but due to Harry's current lifestyle they had all preferred to do them anyway. The obstetrician who's following them on tour – who had run some tests as well while they were on the road - had always told Harry that the baby seemed fine, but Harry is still feeling anxious. He figures it's normal.

The appointment with Dr. Hawley is two days later and when Louis and Harry get there they are both trembling in anticipation. Harry is torn between his excitement to see the baby again and find whether his feeling about the sex is right or not and his anxiety. The doctor welcomes them as cheerfully as always – they had kept in contact in the past weeks, Dr. Hawley had always been willing to give a second opinion about something the obstetrician had told them - and chats with them for a while, before starting to take some test. She first measure Harry's pressure and runs a few other basic tests.

She then takes them in another room that looks more like a hospital room where a nurse is waiting for them and Harry starts to feel a bit uneasy. Dr. Hawley must notice, because she smiles reassuringly at him.

“Don't be nervous, it's going to be all right. I know it's an invasive test, but there are no risks. Don't worry, Harry,” she says and Harry tries to breathe more calmly. He takes his shirt off and lays on the on the doctor's bed that Dr. Hawley points him and Louis sits nearby his head, holding his hand.

“Let's give a look to that lucky baby, first,” she says smiling and Harry shifts on the bed, nervous, his head already looking at the screen above his head. He almost doesn't even feel it when she pours the cold gel on his belly and turns the ultrasound on.

“Okay, here we are,” she begins, moving the scan on his tummy, looking for the baby. “From now on the baby is going to grow very fast, so be ready for that. In about a month you'll probably be visibly pregnant.”

Louis kisses him lightly on the cheek and smiles, inpatient.

“I think I've found it... yes,” Dr. Hawley says and Harry's heart starts beating even faster. “Can you see that? That's a foot.”

Harry squints and, yes, he can see it. He sees his baby's little foot and and tiny leg, and now that Dr. Hawley is moving her hand he can see what looks like an arm and the head and, God, he is about to cry again.

He can feel Louis trembling by his side, just as moved as him, and Harry can see him weeping away a tear from the corner of his eyes.

“Okay, Jenny, keeps this still please,” Dr. Hawley says and the nurse, who's been standing a few feet away until that moment, steps closer and does as ordered. The doctor takes something from a near table and Harry freezes. Okay. That's a huge needle.

“It's not going to hurt either you or the baby, Harry, I promise,” she says and Harry forces himself to nod. He tries to keep his eyes open but he can't help it and just closes them, holding Louis' hand tighter.

He moans in discomfort when he feels the needle pushing inside his stomach and Louis' other hand hurries to stroke his hair to comfort him.

“Just a minute, Harry,” Dr. Hawley promises and Harry nods quickly.

True to her word, about a minute later Harry can feel that she is taking the needle off and he dares to open his eyes.

“Everything is fine,” Dr. Hawley says, giving the nurse the needle. “You'll have the results in about ten to fifteen days. I'll call you as soon as I have them.”

Harry nods slowly, biting his lower lip.

“You did great, love,” Louis whispers in his ear and Harry smiles back at him.

“Do you need anything?” Dr. Hawley then asks and Harry lights up again.

“Can we know the sex?” he asks. He turns his head toward Louis and he sees his boyfriend smiling fondly at him.

“We can certainly try,” she says positively. “It is possible to see it by this week, it all depends on whether the baby wants to be seen or not, really.”

Jenny disappears out the door while Harry and Louis focus on the screen of the ultrasound. Dr. Hawley finds the heartbeat again and Harry feels like his heart could burst out of his chest for how happy he is.

“Do you have any guesses about the sex?” the doctor asks after a silent minute where everyone just impatiently waits to see whether they are going to find out today or not.

“Harry feels like it's a boy,” Louis answers with a smile.

Harry shrugs. “I don't know why, I just have this feeling...”

Dr. Hawley doesn't answer immediately, focused on the screen of the ultrasound.

“Well, Harry,” she says after a break. “Seems like your feeling was right.”

Harry's smile becomes so wide that his face almost hurts.

“Really?!” he exclaims and Dr. Hawley laughs cheerfully.

“Pretty positive. I'm rather sure. See?” she points to something on the screen. To be honest, neither Harry and Louis can see much, but they trust her word.

Louis is speechless, his mouth open in amazement and happiness.

“Congratulations, guys, seems like you are having a wonderful baby boy,” Dr. Hawley says once again.“I'm recording all this on DVD, so you can show it to your families and friends.”

A few minutes later, she turns the screen off and Harry gets clean, a huge smile curled up on his lips.

They leave the office with an envelope containing their son's picture and DVD and the biggest smiles drew on their faces.

***

Following the doctor's instructions, they stay at home for the next two days as a prevention for Harry's test, spending their time cuddling in bed watching their son DVD over and over again while eating ice-cream and pizza.

That's it, until the night before they are travelling up North to go visiting their families. They are going to leave very early in the morning, so that the chances to be seen will be even lower. They both know what this means: they are going to release their coming out video. Tonight. The boys and their families had either sent a text or called them earlier in the evening, wishing both of them luck and sent their love.

They shower silently, each of them a bit lost in their own thoughts, and get ready. They place the camera on the small table in front of the couch they are sitting on. Louis turns his head toward Harry and looks at him seriously.

“It's going to be okay, Haz.” he says.

Harry bites his lower lip and nods.

“I know. It's just... I'm so excited and happy, but also a bit scared? And I know it's normal, but it's – it's a lot.” Harry replies and he knows Louis feels the same way as him.

Louis kisses him on the corner of his mouth and turns toward the camera again.

“Okay.” Louis inhales deeply, keeping his breathe for a long moment.

“You ready, babe?” Harry asks in a whisper, stroking his boyfriend's leg.

Louis just nods. Harry turns the camera on.

***

The next two days are weirdly quiet. Both Harry and Louis haven't turned their phone on since they published the video and forced their families to not watch the television or buy any newspaper – The Sun must be going crazy, God – until they will be gone. They completely isolate themselves from the outside world, just enjoying the time they get to spend with their families. They are staying at Anne and Robin's house and they are just on their own for a couple of days, until Jay reaches them on her own.

They don't talk about the coming out. They all completely ignore the public's reaction and they want to keep it that way for a while longer. Instead, they spend their days cooking sweets – well, Harry and Robin cook, while Louis, Anne and Jay observe their work from a distance – and talking about the baby. Anne and Jay go completely wild when they find out it is a boy and way too many tears are shed. At night, they have dinner in the backyard and take advantage of the dark to walk around the nearby fields.

Louis didn't know he needed a break from the outside world like this until that moment. The last months have been within the most beautiful of his entire life, yet he hasn't felt this relaxed in a long time and he loves it. He watches as Harry keeps glowing and radiating happiness and he can't help but feel like he is eighteen again, when he and Harry had first found each other.

“I love you,” Louis whispers in Harry's ear while they are sitting in the living room watching _Love, Actually_.

Harry turns his head and their lips are so close they touch when Harry curls them up in a smile.

“Love you, too.”

And Louis thinks that as long as he has Harry, he doesn't need anything else.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys, thank you so much for your comments and kudos! xx


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Louis experience the aftermath of coming out; Niall, Liam and Zayn are amazing and the baby's name is chosen.

The day they arrive in the US is also the day Harry and Louis actually find out about the public reaction to their coming out. Once they turn their phones on again, they find along with the even more than usual mentions on twitter, many texts and missed calls from friends, management and magazines or radio that want to interview them. The first thing they do, weirdly enough, is calling their management. Will spends ten minutes yelling at them for not replying to any of their calls and then starts explaining how the public reaction has been so far.

Their twitter followers count has decreased. They were both expecting it – of course they were expecting it – but it still hurts a bit. Some people have been calling them nasty things. Others have stated they do not want to have anything to do with either them or One Direction ever again in their lives.

Harry is almost in tears, when Will clears his throat and adds that, however, the overall reaction has been positive, probably because they did not just come out, but they had also released the news about the baby, and their fans' reaction has been sweetened by that.

Those who believed that they were together all along have literally celebrated with theme-parties - when Louis and Harry see the pictures online, they laugh for half an hour straight -; people who used to not be interested in them, now are talking about them; their names are everywhere, even on programmes where One Direction had never been named. Will says that there is a lot of work to do – they'll probably have to address their relationship and the pregnancy and talk about it on some TV shows – but overall the reaction has been as they were expecting it.

“Probably better,” Zayn says once Louis and Harry tell him, Liam and Niall about the phone call, “they were expecting the bloody apocalypse to happen, those fuckers.”

Niall, Liam and Zayn spend the whole flight from London to Toronto wrapping Louis and Harry between them, making up for the lost time during the two-weeks-break. The couple is also pretty sure that there must be some challenge going on between the three of them, because they seem to be literally racing to make Harry happy. They keep giving him gifts and presents, and whenever they do something right they just won't shut up about how good, responsible and mature boys they are. Harry guesses this must be about who the godfather is going to be and for the time being Louis and Harry just enjoy the moment until it lasts.

Once they touch down in Toronto and get to the hotel, they see a huge crowd outside the building, as loud ad ever. Louis and Harry have never felt so relieved in their lives.

Yet, during the concert they are not as affectionate as they could be. Harry finds himself more than once looking at Louis with a fond smile and suddenly stopping himself from doing so, to than remember that they are _out_ , they can _look_ at each other, they can _touch_ each other. Hell, they could even _kiss_ if they wanted to.

Harry notices that Louis acts pretty much in the same way as him: they smile at each other, touch the other arms', sing next to each other and openly to the other. The crowd goes crazy. But the way they act is still controlled, measured.

Years of strict closeting are going to have their consequences for a while on the way they interact, Harry thinks. He doesn't mind, though – they are free now. Everything else is not important.

Zayn, Niall and Liam's attention is entirely focused on them that night, they keep giving them encouraging smiles and push them to stand close to each other. At some point, Liam screams “How do you feel about a baby Tomlinson-Styles on the way?” and the screams are so loud Harry almost has to cover his ears.

He doesn't. He would never cover such an amazing sound.

He smiles at the crowd and tentatively holds Louis' hand for a couple of seconds.

“Think it went all right,” he whispers in Louis' ear and the older boy laughs.

“Yes, I reckon you are right.”

***

The next few months are filled with concerts, interviews, press conferences and more concerts. They are in the USA now, moving from a State to another, from a concert to another. They are all starting to feel a bit the stroll of the tour, but things are good, all considering.

Especially the first month after Louis and Harry's coming out has been filled with interviews about their relationship and the baby. Modest! had always wanted them to say that they had gotten together after that Louis and Eleanor had “broken up”, but considering that Harry was pregnant this plan could not have worked. Eventually, they asked Harry and Louis to say that they had realised they had feelings for each other when Louis was already with Eleanor. Once they understood they wanted to be together, they had talked with Eleanor and she had decided to stick around to cover up for them. Louis thinks it's stupid – their fans are not dumb, once they'd come out they must have understood that Eleanor had been a fake girlfriend from the start. But their management had insisted, and in that way Eleanor came out of the whole situation under a positive light, portrayed as the selfless, generous student who helped her ex boyfriend with whom she was still very close to to stay in the closet, until he was comfortable to come out. At the same time, Harry and Louis had attracted the pity of many people, as they looked like the cute couple who had stuck together against all odds. It was all rather romantic and fanfiction-like, to be quite honest, but their management wanted to push with that narrative and Harry and Louis found themselves to agree. At least they did not have to hide anymore. So that was the story they had repeated many and many times during different interviews.

Another popular topic is, unsurprisingly, the baby. Louis and Harry beam every time an interviewer asks about it, thought they try to stay as vague as possible. They have received the test results by Dr. Hawley and they are relieved to find that their little boy is doing fine, so they mostly just keep saying to the interviewers that the baby is healthy and that he would be born in January. Dr. Hawley sets the14th of January as the date, and they both can't wait until that day.

Harry is also visibly pregnant now, carrying around the baby bump with a proud smile curled up on his lips.

The most amazing feeling, though, is being free to hold each other's hand in public. The first time Louis and Harry go out on a date without even trying to hide their identities, it's so overwhelming that they both can't stop thinking about it for weeks. They walk around the city holding hands, showing their love to the world. They do not even try to choose some place where they wouldn't be disturbed by any fans. To be honest, they want to brag, so they happily sign any autographs and pose together to take pictures with any fans they meet.

Being free is so, so good – they had forgotten how amazing was to do something without worrying about being caught.

They have also started to participate to some events organised by the LGBTQ community, happy to be finally able to take part to that. Every time someone stops them on the streets telling them how much their coming out means to them, they both remembered how the good things overcome the bad ones.

Which unfortunately do not miss out. Hate messages are a constant and the Westboro Baptish Church shows up to a couple of their concerts. It hurts, a bit. But both Louis and Harry are used to receiving hate message (unfortunately) and they know how to handle them by now. Knowing that they have their families and friends' support, along to each other, and that they are doing something good, helps them to forget all the negative stuff – or at least to not think about it too much.

Harry stands on stage, a hand on his belly and a microphone in the other. They are in Chicago doing the soundcheck for their last concert before a break and they are all looking forward to it. Niall is flying back to Ireland, while Liam and Zayn are going to London and Harry and Louis have decided to spend the holiday in their house in Los Angeles. The more time it passes, the more Louis insists that Harry should not travel much – the break is actually going to be long enough to let Harry get back to London without tiring himself too much, but Louis had insisted they just went to their home in Los Angeles instead of going back to the UK and Harry had agreed.

His belly is now visible, especially considering that all he does is wearing shirts that do not hide the swollen in his stomach. He is five months along and he is glowing with happiness – he can't believe that he has passed the first half of the pregnancy and that Louis and him are going to meet their son in a matter of months. Since the baby would be born only a few weeks before their departure to Australia for the second part of the tour, Modest! has decided to postpone the new tour until April so that Harry and Louis could bring their baby on the road with them. Their management has also decided that the band will have to travel and promote their upcoming new album until the end of October, but once the album would be out in November they will also have to promote it all around England before finally giving them a long break from late November to mid-April. Louis was not happy about it at first, wanting Harry to spend the whole last trimester without travelling around the world. There was an animated argument with their management, which Louis and Harry lost. Louis was furious and Harry worried that all the travelling could be harmful for the baby, so they both decided to send the timetable their management gave them to Dr. Hawley to see whether she thought it would be too risky to let Harry travel up until the end of the seventh month of pregnancy. Dr. Hawley reassured them telling them that their scheduled commitments in October seemed to be scheduled so that Harry would not strain himself and the baby too much, and that their obligations in November seem okay as they would take place in England and Harry would not have to travel too long to oblige them. However, Harry had really seemed to suffer during the first few months of the pregnancy and such thing could happen again towards the end of it, so she told them to stop immediately if Harry felt sick and to call her if they needed help.

Louis calmed down a bit and Harry was a bit more relaxed, but they promised to take extra attention just in case.

“What about we do Strong?” says Liam and Harry focuses on him again, blinking away his thoughts.

“Sounds good.” he agrees and he sees the rest of the band nod in agreement.

Liam starts the first verse and everyone focuses on the song, Niall is sitting on the stairs, Zayn and Liam standing in the middle of the stage, Louis nearby Niall whereas Harry is standing on the catwalk.

Harry can't help but dance and move always a bit more during Strong than any other song – he can't help it, that's the song Louis wrote for him about them. It's a special song and he feels like he has to show to whoever is around that he loves it and bursts with pride every time he hears it. He is in the middle of his solo, jumping a bit around, when he suddenly feels something weird inside him, like some sort of twisting or a flutter.

“Shit,” he yelps in surprise, cutting the strophe short and drops the microphone off. Harry puts immediately both his hands on his belly, a curious expression drown on his face.

“Harry?” he hears the panicked voice of Louis somewhere behind him but Harry doesn't pay attention to him, focusing on the flutter inside him.

He takes a few seconds to understand what it really is.

“Harry!” Louis repeats and this time he is close enough to touch his boyfriend. Louis put a hand on his back and leans over him. “Harry, what's wrong?”

When Harry finally turns towards Louis, he has the brightest smile curled up on his lips and Louis breathes again.

“I think -,” Harry starts. “I think our baby just moved for the first time.”

Louis stares at him blankly for a few seconds, like he doesn't understand what Harry is saying, until he seems to realise and excitement shows up on his face.

“Really?!” he says excitingly, putting immediately a hand on Harry's belly. Harry can still feel the flutter inside him and nods smiling brightly.

“Is everything okay?!” Liam asks, worry in his voice. Harry and Louis turn their head and see that the other boys have gotten closer to them.

“Amazingly! Can we just have a ten minutes break?” Louis says immediately and when Niall nods confused (“Did Louis just say 'Amazingly' or did I dream it?”), he takes Harry's hand and runs backstage, going in their fitting room.

“Can you feel it?” Harry asks, his smile so big it almost hurts. Louis' hands are under Harry's shirt, touching his skin. Louis stays silent a few seconds, moving his hands all over Harry's belly, but eventually shakes his head with a disappointed face.

Harry sadly lowers his head. “Give it time, babe, it was probably too weak.” he tells Louis and the older boy nods in agreement, yet his mouth is still shut in a disappointed line.

Harry himself can't feel it anymore in five minutes time, and they head back to the stage to keep rehearsing – the curly boy giddy with happiness, while Louis smiles quietly, looking fondly at his boyfriend.

“Is everything all right?” Zayn asks and Harry nods enthusiastically.

“I just felt the baby moving.” he announces and the news is greeted with exclamations and smiles.

Louis stays close to Harry all day, barely leaving his side. During the concert he is practically glued to Harry's side, not even daring to get more than one metre away from him. Harry has learnt that Louis always does this whenever something new or unexpected happens, no matter if it's a good or a bad thing.

Harry slides a hand around Louis' middle and smiles in his ear.

“People will start thinking we are glued to each other.” he jokes and Louis giggles.

“Let them do that, it's not like I care,” Louis replies and Harry leans to kiss him briefly on his mouth.

They have done it dozens of times by now, but the cheers of the crowd never stop – it's always loud, maybe louder every and each time, and Harry and Louis feed of that noise.

That night Niall proposes they all go in his room to watch a film and have a quiet night in before they take different ways for about ten days. They all accept happily, tired from the show. The bed technically is not big enough to let them all cuddle together comfortably, but they manage, squeezing in a big, warm hug while The Avengers plays on TV. Harry is squeezed between Louis and Liam, Louis' hand stroking slowly his arm whereas Liam keeps an arm around his middle.

“Love you guys a lot,” he mumbles half-asleep, lately more exhausted than ever, his eyes half closed desperate to stay open a little bit longer.

“Oh Harry, we love you a lot too, you know that,” Niall replies and Harry snuggles closer to Louis, nodding.

Louis smiles in Harry's hair and kisses his hair.

“Get some sleep, love.” Louis suggests him and he doesn't have to repeat it twice, Harry is snoring quietly within minutes whilst Thor makes his appearance on screen for the first time.

“He is doing good,” Zayn says and Louis knows he is not talking about the film. Louis strokes Harry's hair and nods softly.

“Yes, he is.” Louis smiles proudly at his asleep boyfriend.

“You are going to be such good parents, Lou.” Liam says and Louis turns his head to look at him. “I am serious. You take such good care of each other – you'll be great with your son, too.”

“I hope so,” Louis murmurs. “I am afraid I'll mess it up.”

“You?” Zayn's tone is unbelievable.

“I have never been a parent before, you know?” he replies ironically.

“Neither has Harry.” Zayn says.

“Come on, look at Harry – he was born to do this. He would not be able to mess this up even if he tried.” Louis says honestly.

Liam puts a hand on Louis' shoulder. “Lou – you are just as good as Harry is. If anything, you are going to be even more experienced than him. You've grown up with four little sister, you know how to deal with all that baby stuff. You'll both be great.”

Louis shakes his shoulder. “We'll see. Not that long now, is it? Just a few more month...”

“Can't barely believe it, look at you and Harry – all settled down, with your house and a child on the way. You are a proper married couple, the only thing that's missing is the ring,” Niall grins and Louis burst out laughing, trying to keep the noise down to now awake the sleeping boy on his chest.

“Is there something you are not telling us?”

“Yes Louis – don't tell me you ran off and got married in secret, because in which case I could kill you right now.”

“Niall, you are not all that threatening, you now that, right?”

“Shut up, Li, I am trying to scare Louis.”

“No need to do that, though. Not a chance.” Louis replies with a grin.

Niall nods serious. “That's good.”

“Well you are basically engaged already anyway.” Zayn adds and Liam and Niall nod in agreement.

“I am going to do it properly, you know that. It's just – not really the best of times at the moment. Planning a wedding in the middle of a tour during the last months of a pregnancy is really not the best of things to do.” Louis explains, speaking the truth. He and Harry are basically engaged – have proposed to each other dozens of times in different ways, but they always considered them more like promises than real okay-we-are-engaged-let's-plan-our-wedding proposes. They have proposed again one time each since they found they were expecting, but they are both waiting for the waters to calm down before doing The Proposal that will lead to the wedding.

“Well, if you won't let me be the Godfather, can I at least be the best man?” Liam asks innocently and Niall hits him.

“Hey!”

Louis laughs again, ever so quietly while Harry moves in his sleep and than settles, a hand resting on his bump.

“Don't let your hopes down just yet, Payno,” he mumbles and then decides to focus on the film again, smiling at Liam's excited yelp.

***

Los Angeles is way too hot and Harry has positively decided that he hates the heat.

He lays almost naked on the huge bad he and Louis bought once they took the house, the air conditioner on. Not that he hasn't been to Los Angeles during the summer before, but apparently being pregnant makes you even more sensible to the heat and he is seriously wondering why no one told him that. If he had known, he would have asked Louis to bring him on the top of a mountain in Siberia rather than the constantly hot Los Angeles.

Harry whimpers and moves on his side tiredly.

“You know I love you, but this whole being-pregnant-thing is getting more painful than I thought,” he says stroking his belly gently. In response, Harry feels a flutter under his skin. “Glad to see you agree. I bet it's not that comfortable in there either, is it? Don't worry, we just have to hang on a few more months and then we will finally meet each other.”

The baby moves again and Harry smiles. The movements are almost constant ever since he first felt it, and finally after about a week Louis had managed to feel their baby moving too. They were sitting on a bench in their backyard, when Harry had felt the baby moving. This time, tough, it was a bit different from the other times, not only an almost imperceptible flutter, but real kicking. Harry had immediately took Louis' hand and put it on his belly, and after a few seconds Louis had felt them as well. He was so drunk with happiness after to make Harry cry a little – he knows he is hormonal and that he is not in control over his emotions anymore, but seeing Louis so happy had made him cry tears of joy.

Speaking of Louis, Harry really can't wait until he gets back from the grocery shop where he had sent him to buy ice-cream. They have to leave Los Angeles the next day to head to Pasadena to start the tour again and Harry is trying to get into the mood for it. He loves performing – was born to do it – but he just spent about a week doing nothing but sleeping, swimming in the pool in his and Louis' backyard and hanging out with his friends and boyfriend. He really is not ready to go back to the road and travel from a city to another at impossible hours of the day and night.

He hears a door slamming open and close, then Louis' voice echoes through the house.

“Haz?” he hears Louis calling.

“Bedroom!” Harry yells back. “Bring a spoon!”

He hears Louis laughing and a few minutes later Louis appears at the door of the room with ice-cream in his hands and two spoons.

“Well, aren't you a vision,” Louis laughs and Harry rolls on the bed to make some room for Louis.

“It's hot.” Harry pouts.

“It's not _that_ bad.”

“Tell me that again when you are going to be the pregnant one and I'll bring you to freaking Mexico,” Harry pouts and Louis shakes his head in disbelief, an amused smile curled up on his lips.

“Here, have your ice-cream and shut up.” Louis tells him and Harry shows him his tongue.

“Meeean,” he says and Louis gets on the bed, kissing him lightly first on his belly and then on his lips.

“Whatever you say, love.” Louis says opening the ice-cream box and giving Harry a spoon.

They eat silently for a while, Harry finally cooling down.

“I was thinking,” Louis starts after a while, running his fingers through Harry's hair. “That we haven't named the little one, yet.”

Harry nods at that. It was true, they have all been so caught up in the tour, busy doing concerts, interviews, photoshoots and more concerts that they have never sat down thinking for real about how to name their son.

“Might as well start now, shall we?” Louis says and Harry nods eagerly.

“Any particular idea?” Harry asks and Louis shakes his shoulders.

“Not really – I mean, ever since you said you liked the name Darcy I just figured we would call our first daughter like that. But I don't have many boy-names in mind.”

“Ditto. I mean – I like a few, I did think about it, but I haven't set my mind on any.”

They end up googling names on the internet, going through dozens of sites and blogs. Harry tweets “Name suggestions? .xxx” and fans from all over the world start sending them advices – most of them seem to not have quite grasped the concept that they are having a boy and just send them their

own names, but others are really nice.

Louis and Harry spend two hours straight reading names and their meanings, writing down a few they like.

“I like James,” says Louis after a while and Harry nods.

“I do like it too, but half the boys in England are called James. I want something a bit more... unique.”

Louis nods slowly, contemplating other choices.

“We could always use it as the second name,” he mutters and Harry immediately agrees.

“What about Alec?” Harry proposes after a few more minutes of researches.

“Alex?” Louis repeats a bit confused.

“Alec. It could be short for Alexander – I like that too – but what about just Alec?”

Louis seems to think about it for a few seconds.

“I like it. Alec, I mean. Alexander is good too, but Alec is short and a bit more... rare.” he announces smiling brightly.

“Do you really?” says Harry with a big smile and Louis nods.

“Yes, I do. I love it, actually. Alec James Styles-Tomlinson.” Louis tastes the name on his lips.

“About that...” Harry clears his voice and Louis looks at him with a confused face. “I want the baby to have your surname. I mean, just yours.”

Louis doesn't say anything for a while.

“Are you sure?” he finally asks tentatively.

Harry nods, serious. “I am. I just... when we'll get marry, I want to take your name, so I figured that our son should have just that one as well.” Louis is still silent, so Harry keeps talking. “I know we never really talked about it...”

“No, Harry, shush.” Harry does and he is happy to see that Louis is smiling. “I want that too, as long as you are sure about it. I would not mind at all to be Styles-Tomlinson. Or even Styles alone, you know that.”

“Louis Styles,” Harry giggles. “Sorry babe, but it doesn't sound that good.”

“Shut up, it sounds amazing!”

“Not as good as Harry Tomlinson,” Harry says happily and Louis kisses him. “I know you love it.”

“I do love it, there's no doubt about it.” Louis strokes Harry's cheeks smiling. “So, Alec James Tomlinson?”

Harry nods serious.

“Shit. Okay.” Louis kisses him once more. “I love you, you know that right?”

“Well, that's a relief considering that we are having a child together and I just told you I am going to marry you and take your surname. Really relieved.”

Louis hits him softly. “Jeez, you are such an idiot, why am I marrying you again?

“Because you loooooove me,” Harry giggles, his voice hight-pitched and he gets away from Louis when he sees the other boy is about to hit him again.

“Shut up, Styles, and let's use this comfy bed in the right way as long as we are here.”

“Not going to be a Styles for long, Louis!”

“You are insufferable.” Harry doesn't let him say anything else, starting to kiss him.

***

By the time the tour ends, it's October and Harry is almost six months along. He is big, walking on stage with a hand placed on his hips to support the weight. He still smiles to the fans and gives his everything to every show, but he can't say that he is sad that the tour is over – it was starting to get exhausting and he can tell everyone has noticed that. During the last concert, before disappearing off stage, Niall, Zayn, Liam, Louis and Harry all hug tightly and right before leaving the stage, the curly boy turns toward the audience and smiles to the fans.

“Thank you for everything!” he yells into his microphone, including all that he doesn't have the time to say in those words and the crowd screams cheerfully.

Harry waves goodbye and turns to the other boys. They are all looking at him with half smiles on their faces. Harry takes the hand Louis is offering him and puts an arm around Niall shoulders, walking all together toward the backstage as it should be. Somehow, Harry thinks, they made it. Somehow they have managed to survive the last couple of months and none of that could have been possible if they hadn't stayed together as a band. As a family.

Harry will always be grateful for that.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoyed the chapter! Thank you so much for your comments and kudos, I really do not deserve them.  
> 


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry can't take it anymore, Louis worries and then everything gets better again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There's some angst at the beginning of this chapter because apparently I can't write something without throwing some angst into it. Just wanted to warn you :)

Harry breaks down in November.

All considering, he should have seen it coming. He doesn't know what triggers it – it might have been because despite the fact that their current obligations do not seem so bad on paper, they are in reality and the band has been forced to move from a city to another, from show to radio, from studio to TV programme for the past ten and more days; maybe it is because the baby has been kicking like crazy for weeks now; maybe it's because he has slept ten full hours in three days and he has this weird pain in his chest ever since Alec kicked him really hard a few days earlier and it still hurts; maybe it's because he doesn't remember _why,_ but he and Louis have had some stupid argument the night before and Louis slept in the guest room and Harry had cried himself to sleep and they have barely talked to each other today.

He doesn't know why he breaks down, maybe it is just a combination of all these things, but the fact that he _does_ and now he finds himself sitting on the bathroom floor of some television studio where they are supposed to release an interview about the next album, curled up in himself crying desperately and he can't stop. The past few weeks have been so exhausting and all the fears Harry had at the beginning of the pregnancy are coming back – how can he raise a child if he can barely take care of himself in the first place? And what if this pregnancy is straining his relationship with Louis to a one-way road from where they can't come back and they are just going to grow apart? He is twenty, how on Earth can he be responsible for another human being? He is just tired, so tired...

Niall finds him just like this, sitting in a corner of the bathroom with his head hidden between his hands while he cries hopelessly. Harry can barely understand any word that the blond lad says, too busy shaking his head and telling him to _go away, please just go away_ and suddenly Niall is not there anymore and Harry feels so alone, like he hasn't felt in months, when all of sudden Louis is in front of him and he is talking really loudly but Harry just cries, cries, cries and says _I'm sorry_ because Louis was not supposed to see him like this, not when he is so weak, how can Louis think Harry will be able to raise their child if he is so weak?

The next few hours are a bit of a blur. Harry remembers Louis and Zayn lifting him up while he tried to get away from them; he remembers being in a car, someone's arm tightly wrapped around him and then not much else.

He wakes up in what he recognises being his and Louis' bed in London, flashes of what must have been the past few hours passing in front of his eyes.

“Harry?” Louis' voice says and Harry turns his head toward the door of the room.

Louis immediately reaches him, walking quickly and sitting on the bed right next to his boyfriend, hugging him tightly. The last thing Harry properly remembers doing with Louis is fighting, but he is not bothered by the turns of events and hugs him back, leaning his head against Louis' shoulder.

“How are you feeling, love?” Louis asks letting him go and Harry sees worry in his eyes.

“I'm okay.” Harry would like to say something more but he is a bit confused, not quite sure what happened after his rather spectacular breakdown – if he has to be honest, he is quite embarrassed.

“You scared the hell out of me,” Louis says, but his voice is not angry, just quiet while he strokes Harry's curls.

“I'm sorry,” Harry apologises and Louis shuts him up with a kiss.

“You've got _nothing_ to be sorry for, Harry.” Louis says serious and his mouth his shut in an angry line that makes Harry uncomfortable.

He is still confused.

“Lou,” he begins. “I – I'm sorry, I'm not so sure I know what happened.”

Louis nods slowly and takes Harry's hands in his.

“Well, yesterday -” he begins, but Harry interrupts him immediately.

“Wait, yesterday? What time is it?”

“Midday.” Harry's eyes get ridiculously wide. “You slept a while.”

“That's one way to put it...” He remembers being at the studio around four o'clock in the afternoon. He must have slept a lot.

“The point is,” Louis starts again and Harry focuses on him again. “You weren't well. Niall found you and...”

“I had sort of a breakdown. I know. 'm sorry.” Harry mumbles, lowering his face to not look at Louis in the eyes.

“No, babe, listen to me, it wasn't your fault. You weren't in any condition to work so Liam and I brought you back here and I called Dr. Hawley to come over and check you up.” As soon as Louis sees panic in Harry's eyes, he quickly adds. “You were exhausted and stressed and she said that you also probably have a cracked rib or some sort, that's why you are feeling a pain in your chest. Apparently that's rather common during pregnancies – something about not being enough space so sometimes when babies moves, they can crack ribs.”

Harry's head is spinning for the amount of information he is receiving.

“Is the baby – is Alec okay?” he asks, panic in his voice.

Louis keeps stroking his hair slowly.

“Yes, Haz. He is fine. You are both fine.” Harry is about to sigh in relief, when Louis talks again. “However, Dr. Hawley said that she is worried – you are under too much stress and considering your rib now, she suggested that in no way you should keep working for the next couple of weeks. She said you'd risk a premature birth and we can't allow that happening.”

Under any other situation, Harry would have protested. He would have said that he can take care of himself and finish to do his work – it's just two more weeks anyway, he can do it. But this time he doesn't. He made a promise to Louis, to himself and to the life that is growing inside him: he would have stopped the minute something wrong would have happened. It did happen. He is stopping to work.

Harry sees Louis waiting, his shoulders contracted in tension, but he seems to relax when he notices Harry is not protesting – he must have thought the curly boy would have had something to say about the doctor's orders.

“She says you should stay in bed rest for ten days at the least.” Louis adds eventually and Harry hides his face in his boyfriend shoulder.

“I'm sorry,” he repeats ever so softly and for the first time, Harry is the one who hears a sob coming from Louis. “Babe...”

“I was so scared,” Louis starts holding Harry like he means to never let go of him. “When Niall came looking for me and told me you weren't well... I thought something was really wrong and considering our stupid fight the other night, I just – I don't know. I am so sorry, Harry, you were already stressed enough without me getting in the mix.”

“Lou, it's not your fault either. I should have told you in the first place how tired I was getting.” Harry replies leaving soft kisses on Louis' cheek.

“But you _did,_ you told me you were exhausted and I just dismissed it, I just thought it was nothing serious...!”

“Louis we were all tired, the past few months haven't been easy on us.”

“It' not the point!” Louis nearly screams, startling Harry. “It doesn't matter if I'm tired, you and our son always come first. Always. And I just ignored your warning, I've been so _stupid_!”

“Louis, Louis listen to me.” Louis fixes his eyes in Harry's. “It really is not your fault, okay? You could have done nothing to stop whatever happened yesterday. It was a thing that has been building up for weeks, a simple fight we had did not make things worse...”

Louis bits his bottom lip and just breathes into Harry's hair.

“The baby is fine. I am fine. Everything is alright. No need to worry.” Harry adds and Louis strokes his shoulders.

They lay in bed together, murmuring soft comforting words in each other ears, kissing softly.

“So I can't leave the bed for like ten days?” Harry asks bitterly once Louis gets up to order something for dinner, hours later.

Louis nods. “Well, I mean. Not literally, but yes. Kind of. You need rest and that rib is not going to get any better if you keep moving around.”

Harry grunts and Louis makes a face in sympathy.

“What about you, Niall, Liam and Zayn? Are you still going to keep doing promo?” the younger boy asks and he sees Louis' face turning into a furious expression.

“Do not even remind me that,” he snaps acidly. “Those fucking _bastards_ told us we have to keep going even without you.”

Harry stares at him blankly for a few seconds. “Oh.”

“Yes, _oh_. I have to leave you here while I go around the whole United Kingdom to do some bloody promo just because those fuckers at Modest! are getting their revenge for letting us come out, do you even know how sick this is?!” Louis nearly shouts.

“Lou – babe, it's fine...” he stops as soon as he sees Louis' furious eyes. “I mean, it's not fine, but we are going to manage. Do not get yourself all worked up for something we can do very little to change.”

“I'm just so angry. I don't want to leave you here, I want to be with you.” Louis says passing a nervous hand between his hair.

Harry leans a hand toward Louis and the older boy immediately holds it. “I want you to be here, too. And you are going to be in just a few weeks. Just hold on for a little longer...”

Louis nods slowly.

“When do you have to leave?” Harry asks, having completely forgotten their schedule.

“We need to be in Nottingham tomorrow for some television stuff... I have to leave tomorrow around three.” Louis explains and Harry nods. He wants nothing more than Louis to stay with him, but he doesn't want to show it in order to not make this all situation even harder on Louis.

“I'll manage. Don't worry.”

“I already talked with your mum and Gemma. Your mum is going to be here by the time I leave and Gemma is going to come over as soon as she finishes work. Your mum can't stay longer than a few days though...”

“Lou, babe, don't worry about it.”

“I could ask my mum...”

“Louis, your mum has two infants to take care of and four other children to look after. Even with Dan's help, she really doesn't have the time to look after me, so do not even dare to ask her. I'll call someone, don't stress yourself out.” Harry reassure Louis and the older boy just shakes his shoulders.

They eat dinner almost in silence, feeding each other small pieces of pizza in the warmness of their bed. They fall asleep on each other, wrapped tightly together to the point they can barely breathe.

***

Louis leaves at three o'clock the next day after he has left dozens of recommendations both to Harry and Anne, who arrived a few hours earlier. He implores Harry to not leave the bed if it's not strictly necessary and he instructs Anne to keep an eye on him. He finally leaves promising he will call in a few hours once he arrives to Nottingham, and kisses Harry on the mouth and on his belly just before leaving.

Anne pampers Harry for the rest of the day, cuddling him all the time. They spend the day in bed watching Harry's favourites films and they are joined in the evening by Gemma, who hugs Harry so tightly he has to ask her to let go of him after a minute.

Harry missed his family so much in the past months, has barely had the time to see them for more than a few days once in a while and he is happy to finally spend some time with them. As promised, Louis calls once he reaches Nottingham and then again on skype after dinner. This time, Zayn, Niall and Liam are all with him and they cover him in questions and get well wishes. Niall complains that it's not the same without him and Zayn spends ten minutes of the conversation covering their management of insults and Louis just nods in agreement. Liam makes sure to ask him at least eight times if he is okay and if he can do anything to help – he eventually decides that he will ask Sophia to check on him the next day and Harry agrees hoping that that will calm him down.

Harry feels so overwhelmed with love and he makes sure to tell so to the boys, who just reply that they love him too and that they'll see him soon. They have to go to Brighton and Plymouth after their commitments in Nottingham, but after that they are going to have a few free days and they fully intend on spending them with him.

The next day, Sophia and Perrie knock at his door and cover him in cuddles and kisses, spending time with him while Anne is out grocery shopping and Gemma is back at work. They spend a few hours doing nothing but silly selfies and talking about meaningless stuff. Perrie brings candies with her and they eat them lying like starfishes on the huge bed. Harry loves them a lot.

His mum has to go back to Holmes Chapel the day before Louis is going to be back, so Gemma takes a day off from work and stays with him all day. Harry tries to talk her out of it, telling her that he can be left alone for a few hours and that he is probably going to sleep all the time anyway, but she insists. In the end, they both dress up in their onesies and fall asleep next to each other, both tired from the events of the last couple of days.

Louis calls constantly. He seems to spend almost all of his free time on the phone with Harry and, though Harry doesn't mind in the slightest to talk with Louis so much, he is aware Louis is worrying too much. He just figures that Louis will become less overprotective once the scare of the past days will pass.

Louis gets to spend two days at home before leaving again, this time to go to Blackpool, and the other boys decide to move in Harry and Louis' house during the short break. Harry moves to the sofa downstairs – under a rather worried and frustrated supervision by Louis who seems to not understand that walking from the bed to the sofa isn't either going to make him have the baby on the spot or get his rather sore rib worse than it already is – and they spend their time watching silly films. At some point, Niall even puts their X Factor edition on and they have a few rather emotional hours (interrupted by Liam's frequent comments on “for goodness' sake, you two look like you are about to fuck on those stairs, how did people believe you weren't together the whole time?!” but Louis and Harry just decide to ignore him).

Even Dr. Hawley comes for a visit, checking Harry over under Louis' attentive look. She tells Harry that he needs to keep resting as his rib is not going to get any better until the baby is born and that he could still have the baby earlier than it should be.

Unfortunately, Louis and the boys have to leave again soon and at this point, Ed is the one who comes over. Louis calls him a few days before leaving and the singer gladly accepts to stay over for the next week until Louis will be back home full-time.

“It really is not necessary,” Harry reassures Ed at the phone while Louis is downstairs for a few minutes.

“Shut up mate, as if I minded!” Ed replies back and the next day he basically moves into Harry and Louis' house.

Having Ed home is amazing. Harry and Ed are really close, but they have not been able to see each other much in the past year or so because of their busy schedules – what with Harry busy with the tour and Ed going all over the world to promote his new album.

Ed brings his guitar over and they spend the next few days writing songs together, probably the thing they prefer doing together. Harry loves Ed's capacity to turn thoughts into poetry and again into songs, while he contributes putting his own experiences and turning them into songs.

Despite the fact that Harry is doing everything his doctor told him to do, Alec doesn't seem interested in making Harry's life easier despite the fact that he is on bed rest. Some days are good and Harry carefully steps out of the bed while Ed murmurs under his breath that Louis is going to kill him (Harry is rather sure Louis has threatened of physical harm whoever is with Harry if they are not going to take good care of him – he decides to investigate on the matter), others are much worse and Harry finds himself laying on bed in pain because of the rib and the general uncomfortable feeling of having someone inside you kicking your organs, while Ed tries to make him feel better with silly jokes and cuddles and Louis fusses on the phone, promising that he will come back home immediately if Harry needs him to.

Luckily enough, Alec seems to decide that he made Harry suffer enough already a few days before Louis comes back home – he still kicks and makes his presence impossible not to notice (“Why are you Tomlinsons so eager for attention, Louis?!” “Do not blame this on me, Harold, I am innocent!”) but at least Harry manages to sleep all night without waking up. His rib is still sore and it's going to stay this way for a long time – Harry gave up on this – so he just bites his lips and suffer through the pain when it particularly aches. He sees Dr. Hawley again and she is happy to see that he is not as pale as he used to be and that he looks better overall. She reassures him that he can go back to his usual life – excluding strenuous activities, of course – in just a while and Harry immediately calls Louis to update him on the news, teasing him that he will have to make him go out of the house again.

During the time off wotk, Harry is also more active online than he has been in a while. They did not tell the fans the truth – they just lied blatantly about how Harry stopping doing promo in the middle of it was all planned from the start, but the fans didn't seem to believe it and Harry's mentions are filled with worried people asking him how he is. In response, Harry posts as many pictures as possible of him and his life at home on instagram and answers questions on twitter. Truth is, as much as he loves having Ed at home, he is bored. Despite the fact that he is feeling rather better, he wants to stick to the ten days order of bed rest Dr. Hawley gave him. The first week was fine – good, even. All Harry had to do was sleeping and being cuddled, something he is very good at, but now it's just boring and he can tell that Ed is not having the time of his life either. He doesn't say anything of course and every time Harry suggests him to go out with someone for the night instead of staying home with him he refuses and sticks by Harry's side, but there are moments where he looks absolutely bored and Harry does not blame in the slightest.

When Louis actually comes back home – _to stay –_ it's a relief for everyone. Both Harry and Louis thank Ed thoroughly, make sure to tell him how much his help and friendship mean, and when Ed finally leaves he is red on the cheeks because of how much he is blushing.

Harry and Louis celebrate their reunion in the best way they know – they just lay on bed, cuddled tight to each other, kissing softly and murmuring stolen I love you's meant only for the other's ears. They don't talk much – they already said everything that had to be said – and just breathe each other's scents. They missed each other _so_ much.

The next day, Louis surprises Harry with breakfast in bed – he is not totally hopeless in the kitchen, he can manage to make some scrambled eggs and bacons without burning the all building down, thank you very much – and then they end up in the bath together, snuggling closer.

“Wow, this one is making his presence really clear,” Louis says impressed pressing a hand on Harry's belly and Harry groans.

“You are telling me that,” he says bitter. “He is going to be your copy, Louis, I know that already. I was right about the sex, I am right about this.”

“Is it a bad thing?” Louis giggles in Harry's ear and the curly boy tries to smile his wide smile.

“It is when a mini-version of you is inside me, kicking all my organs. I will not have a kidney anymore at the end of this pregnancy.” Harry complains in such a way that Louis can't take him seriously and just laughs softly.

“Not long now, love,” he reassures his boyfriend and Harry nods.

Harry makes his first appearance in the outside world only a few days later. He goes out grocery shopping with Louis in a very public area – Harry wants to calm the fans down and he knows that a few fans reporting they saw him out and some pictures will just do, and Louis nods in agreement. As predicted, when the pictures and reports surface online the fans do calm down.

Now that the band is officially on break until April of the next year, all the boys spread in different parts of the world. They meet one last time all together at Niall's house for a BBQ, before they split up for a while. Zayn is joining Perrie during her tour with Little Mix, Niall is going on holiday on some exotic island the other boys haven't quite grasped the name of, whereas Liam is the only who decides to stay in the UK for a while longer before leaving for a holiday with his family. They all promise they are going to be in London for sure in January, though, not wanting to miss Alec's birth.

For what concerns Harry and Louis, they fly to Hawaii with Dr. Hawley's permission just the day after the BBQ at Niall's and they stay there for a little over a week. They know that no plane company will allow Harry to fly once he is nine months along, so they shorten the holiday they had been planning for a while before even knowing about being pregnant and they are back in England at the beginning of December, both well rested and ready to spend their last month alone before Alec's birth.

The first thing they take care of is Alec's nursery. They decide to decorate a big room that is always illuminated by the light on the same floor as their room. They decide to leave two opposite walls in white and they call a painter to paint on the other two walls two different landscapes – Paris on one as that city had always been quite special to them, and a quiet sea village they had been for a romantic getaway at the beginning of 2013 where they had proposed for the first time. They slowly fill the room up with the crib and other accessories time by time.

“I love it,” Louis declares once the room is mostly finished, looking at the beautiful paints on the walls and smiling softly at Alec's name printed at the top of the crib. Harry hugs him and nods, kissing him on the cheek in agreement.

Christmas comes by faster than ever and before they know it, their home is filling with both their families. They have never managed to spend Christmas at their house in London before but this time their families have gladly accepted to come down for the holidays.

Harry's family has been at Harry and Louis' house before, but that's the first time Louis' sisters see their brother's real house and not the flat he had in Central London where he used to bring them in the past and he is a bit nervous while he shows them around and Harry finishes to cook the last meals for the Christmas dinner.

Along Christmas, of course comes Louis' birthday – who won't stop groaning on how twenty three is old, so old – and they end up celebrating him all together, covering him in gifts, kisses and cuddles. Louis smiles so widely and so easily during the whole time and Harry is just so happy to see the boy he loves being so cheerful.

Harry has just started the ninth month of the pregnancy now, and despite being so happy to see his family for the holiday, he also can't help to sigh in relief once they all leave. Having so many people over is exhausting, and he sleeps twelve hours after that.

The eight month of pregnancy has been good, much better than the seventh, but now that the due date is approaching day after day, the uncomfortable feeling comes back. Harry is _huge,_ so big he can't see his feet anymore, his rib _hurts_ and his back is killing him. Harry groans in discomfort in bed, while Louis sighs is sympathy and does his better to comfort him, giving him massages and running his boyfriend hot baths.

The most scary thing that comes with the ninth month of pregnancy, if you'd ask Harry, is Braxton Hicks contractions. The first time they happen, is right after New Years' and Harry freaks out because _not yet, we still have two more weeks to go, not yet_ and Louis calls a very tired Dr. Hawley who is currently on holiday somewhere in Asia, freaking out. Dr. Hawley tells them to calm down and that unless they continue for one more hour, they have nothing to be worried for. In fact, twenty minutes later they are gone and both Louis and Harry sigh in relief.

After that, the fake contractions come rather commonly and after a while Harry almost doesn't even tell Louis when they happen in the middle of the night, knowing that they will be gone in a matter of minutes.

“Is it really necessary?” Louis asks, eyebrows raised.

Harry sighs dramatically and pouts. “ _Of course_ it is necessary, I need them.”

“Love, we'll be at the hospital for no longer than three days – don't think you need the entire collection of headscarves with you.”

“But I want them.”

“They are just going to take place for something really important like, you know, clothes.” Louis argues.

“Who needs clothes anyway, doctors see naked people all the time, it's not like I am going to traumatise them.” Harry explains, his face so serious that Louis laughs.

“Love, you are being ridiculous,” the older boy laughs light-heartedly and Harry pouts.

“Well, excuse me for explaining you my needs. I need to set my priorities straight.”

“We have been arguing on what to bring at the hospital with us for an hour now – pretty sure normal people take half an hour tops to do that. Honestly babe, it's just a bag. A couple of trousers and shirts will do – who even wears heascarves at hospitals anyway?”

“I would!”

“Of course you would...” Louis sighs and Harry laughs. Louis looks at him – he is sitting on the bed, so big he can't even manage to stand longer than necessary – and he looks amazing. So big and happy, full of their baby. God, Louis loves him so much.

“I really love you a lot.” Louis says, overwhelmed by his feelings.

Harry actually _beams_ even after four years of Louis repeating those words to him, and Louis wonders how he got so lucky to be able to call this beautiful boy the love of his life.

“Love you too, babe.” Harry says with the biggest smile on his lips. “But this doesn't mean I will not put at least one headscarf in the hospital bag.”

“Whatever you want,” Louis gives up, sitting next to Harry. “Now kiss me, you fool.”

Harry smirks before complying happily.

**

The 14th of January comes and goes.

Both Louis and Harry spend the whole day waiting, sitting in silence in the living room watching silly sitcoms, waiting for something to happen. Niall, Liam and Zayn spend text them and both their mums expect reports every few hours. Nothing happens.

Around seven in the evening, Louis calls Dr. Hawley – who is back from her holiday and will assist them at the birth once it comes – and she reminds them that firsts born often come later than expected and to just wait. She tells them that as long as Harry feels the baby kicking, everything is perfectly fine. Harry assures that Alec is as present as ever, so they just take deep breathes and keep waiting.

The next day passes without anything either. On the 16th, Harry feels some contractions, but before they are even out of the door of their house they are already gone – they call Dr. Hawley one more time, and she assures them that Braxton Hicks can still happen. She also tells them that if the baby is not going to give any sign of wanting to be born in four days, they'll have to come to the hospital anyway and induce the birth as it's not healthy for the baby to stay inside Harry's belly long after the due date.

Both Harry and Louis grow progressively more nervous day by day – by now, their baby should have been born and probably already at home with them, instead he is still not born and doesn't seem willing to come out of there on his own any time soon.

“It must be really comfy in there,” Louis tries to joke about it and Harry just groans, shifting on the bed trying to find a position comfortable enough to let him take a nap.

On the night of the 18th of January, Harry wakes up at three in the morning. He blinks in the dark and looks at the clock on the night stand, wondering what woke him up, when he feels a contraction in the lower part of his belly. The curly boy immediately shifts his hand on his belly, breathing deeply and takes Louis' arm off of him to have more room for movement.

He takes a deep breathe and tries to relax. He has been going through these fake contractions enough times to know how to handle them now. He decides that he will wake Louis if they are not going to stop in half a hour – there's no need to wake the other boy for a false alarm.

Reassured by his choice, Harry settles his back against the pillow and looks at the clock without ever shifting his eyes from it. Twelve minutes later the first contraction, another one comes and after the same amount of time another one hits him, making him groan in pain.

It's like Harry's brain switches on. _This is not a drill_ , his brains yells and Harry nods quickly because, fuck, this is real, it's _happening_. Harry needs to calm down.

“Louis,” he calls, shaking Louis' arm quickly. “Louis... Lou.”

Louis takes a few seconds to wake up, blinking rapidly to adjust his eyes to the lamp Harry has turned on in the meantime.

“What's up, Haz?” he murmurs, his voice still rough from sleep.

Harry nods, both hands on his belly.

“I think that's it.” he says and looks at Louis in the eyes while he says so.

Louis just blinks blankly.

“It's time, Lou.” Harry repeats again. “We have to go to the hospital.”

It's like something rings inside Louis' brain, because suddenly he is on his feet, his eyes impossibly wide. “Oh my God. Are you sure?”

Harry nods quickly. “Yes, I'm pretty sure.” To be honest, Harry is rather impressed by his own calm – he used to think he would freak out by this point.

“Okay. Okay. Oh my God. Get up, love, let's get some clothes on you and then let's go.” Louis' voice is trembling as Harry stands and Louis immediately comes by his side, holding a pair of trousers and a shirt for Harry to wear. Louis wears the first thing that comes to his hand and helps Harry getting dressed.

In five minutes time, they are out of the door.

“How are you feeling?” Louis asks frantically while starting the car.

“I'm okay.” Harry says slowly.

“Are you sure?”

Harry laughs weakly at Louis' voice. “Yes, Lou. Just drive, it's not too bad yet.”

“Okay. Okay. Shit, okay.”

They drive through the empty streets of their neighbourhood, heading toward the hospital they chose to have birth in. Harry calls Dr. Hawley and warns them they are heading there, and she says she'll meet them there.

On the way to the hospital, Harry feels another contraction and Louis freaks out some more, while Harry tries to keep his nerves under control.

“It's fine, it's fine,” Harry repeats over and over, breathing as deeply as he can whilst Louis goes faster. “My waters did not even break, yet.”

“Don't jinx it,” Louis tries to laugh it off, but his hands are tense around the wheel.

They get to the hospital after a few more minutes and Louis helps Harry get out of the car, bag in one hand while he guides and sustains Harry with the other. Louis calls a nurse – they did book a private room, the staff knew they would have come – and a middle-aged woman dressed in a blue scrub brings a wheelchair over to let Harry sit down. The curly boy is immediately grateful as another contraction hits him and he groans in discomfort. Louis' hands are immediately on him, stroking his hair gently while the nurse wheels him in the elevator.

Once they are set in a room, Harry changes in a hospital gown and lays in bed, Louis already sitting by its side on a chair.

“How are you doing, love?” he asks softly, stroking Harry's arm.

Harry smiles down at him, a hand on his belly. “I'm okay. I told you, it's not too bad yet.”

“Uh, what time is it?” Louis smirks and looks at his clock. “3.43. At 3.43, Harry Styles said it wasn't 'too bad'. Miss, you are our witness to his declaration.”

The nurse with them laughs cheerfully. “Hopefully it won't get too bad! We are going to check on you and see how much dilated every now and then. If you need anything, just press the button next to the bed”.

She leaves once Harry and Louis nod, and Harry immediately lays his head on the pillow and closes his eyes, breathing slowly.

“You should try to sleep,” he tells Louis, holding his boyfriend's hand. “God only knows how much this is going to last, you should sleep now while you can.”

“I don't think I can fall asleep right now, babe,” Louis laughs softly, leaving brief kisses on Harry's arm. “Plus, I don't want to leave you to deal with all this on your own.”

Harry smiles at him, tightening his grip against his hand.

Louis ends up leaving a vocal message on their mothers' phones and a text to Liam, Zayn and Niall around five in the morning. Surprisingly, Liam's answer comes in a matter of seconds (“Does this boy even sleep, I don't understand,” Louis comments) and begs them to keep him updated.

The contractions keep coming rather steadily, coming closer to each other very slowly – by nine in the morning, they are still coming eight minutes apart from each other and by now they are just painful and uncomfortable. Louis tries to soothe Harry massaging his ankles and as much as Harry is grateful to him, he can't bring himself to thank him.

“You are so having our second child,” he mumbles after a rather painful contraction and Louis laughs a bit.

“Don't think about it now, babe.” Louis tells him, and Harry promises himself to bring the discussion up again, maybe when he doesn't feel like he is dying and he actually has delivered their son.

Their mums call as soon as they wake up, and Louis promises them to keep them updated, and same goes for Niall and Zayn.

Harry's waters finally break around ten in the morning and has to change into another vest while he swears under his breath.

“Why can't I just start pushing?” he asks desperately after a painful contraction at eleven in the morning.

Dr Hawley, who reached them half a hour after their arrival at the hospital, makes a sympathetic smile. “You are not dilated enough yet, Harry, I'm sorry. You are just five centimetres and it needs to be ten before we can start the delivery properly.”

Harry wants to cry a bit. He might do it as soon as the doctor leaves the room.

He begs Louis to go and fetch him something to eat around two in the afternoon because the food the nurse brought him sucks and he is starving. Louis is back in half a hour and Harry spends the time alone trying to nap, despite the frequents hit of pain.

“It's been eleven fucking hours,” Harry swears the minute Louis gets inside again. “Eleven. Hours. Why can't I just give birth to this baby?!”

Louis was probably expecting his mood swings to happen at some point, because he collects himself very quickly and sits next to Harry, patting his leg.

“I know, Haz. Just a little bit longer and you'll be fine.”

“This is not a Jonas Brothers' song, Louis, I want to have this baby _now!_ ”

Louis ends up sitting in the chair silently while Harry keeps swearing, exhausted.

It goes on like this for a couple more hours – Harry's mood swinging from angry rushes to sad moments, to other when he just feels like himself again.

At six o'clock (“Fifteen hours, Louis!”), when Harry's contraction are about two minutes apart, a nurse comes in to check on him again and she smiles brightly.

“Well, Harry, looks like you are finally dilated enough. I'm just going to call the doctor and Dr. Hawley and then we'll be ready, alright?”

Harry has barely the strength to nod at this point, already exhausted from the past hours, and Louis strokes his hair, chanting excitingly in his ear.

“It's time, love, we are going to meet our baby in just a few!” Louis says happily and Harry smiles widely, yet tired, resting his eyes for a few minutes until the nurse comes back with a few more people.

Dr. Hawley is just going to assist the birth, as desired by Louis and Harry, so the doctor with them is a man they have never met, but he has a kind smile and gentle hands, and as long as he is capable that's all Harry needs right now.

“Okay Harry, once you feel the next contraction you just have to start pushing, understood?” the doctor says and Harry nods gingerly, holding Louis' hand as tight as ever.

Harry doesn't know how much longer it takes – doesn't know if it takes minutes or maybe a whole hour. He really doesn't know. All he knows is that at some point Louis' eyes are wet with tears and he is telling him that he is born, Alec is born, their _son_ , and the sound of a baby's cry, the most beautiful sounds Harry has ever heard, echoes in the room.

Harry probably was crying all along, but he only notices when a mess of blankets and blood is put on his chest and there he _is._ Alec is crying, letting his parents know that he is fine, he is okay, he is there with them and before the nurses can take him away to weight him and check him up, Harry hugs him softly and murmurs “I like his cry,” like that's the most natural thing a parent would say about their first born.

Louis laughs quietly right next to him, sobbing a bit. He has taken his gloves off after cutting Alec' umbilical cord and he is touching the baby with one hand and stroking Harry's shoulder with the other.

“I am so proud of you, you did great, he is so perfect,” he murmurs in Harry's ear and the curly boy nods while the nurses take Alec away for a few minutes.

Harry doesn't take his eyes off him, making sure that everything is fine, and once Alec is being returned to him – all clean, wrapped in a soft blanket – Harry puts him on his chest, and Alec calms down almost immediately, breathing quietly against him. He has big, expressive blue eyes and Harry knows that babies' eyes often change after birth, but he also already knows they are just going to stay that way – he already knows that Alec has inherited Louis' eyes.

“Hi baby,” Harry says, voice broken by his emotions. “Hi love, you are so beautiful. So perfect, our perfect baby.”

He is vaguely aware of Dr. Hawley saying how good he did, all he does is staring at Alec – their baby. He has tried so many times to imagine how he would look and now here he is, in his arms, he is real and he is theirs and nothing is going to change that.

Louis observes as Harry holds their son between his arms and tears of happiness stream down his face.

“I love you both so much,” he says and leans down to press a kiss on Alec's forehead and again on Harry's soft lips.

“I love you too,” Harry yawns, exhausted but happy.

They stay together like this for infinite minutes, wrapped all tightly together, ignoring the other people in the room, conscious that this is one of the happiest moments of their lives and they are never going to have it back. Tomorrow, people are going to fill in the room to leave flowers, balloons and especially to finally look at Alec for the first time, and Harry and Louis will already have to start to share him with the rest of the world. But today, today it's just them, their breathes that mix together and their three hearts beating in synchrony.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you so much for your comments and kuods, I really don't think I deserve them but they still brighten my day. xx


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alec is three months old and the band is heading to Australia to start the new tour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Really sorry it took me so long to update, I honestly have no excuses I just forgot :(

Louis did ask Liam, Niall and Zayn if they were positive they wanted to travel all the way to Australia on the same plane as him, Harry and Alec, he _did_ and they said _yes_ , so he really can't bring himself to be sorry for them now that they are ten hours into their flight and Alec is crying his lungs off in his arms while Harry tries to coos him making soft noises and Liam, Niall and Zayn seem to be on the verge of a nervous breakdown.  


“We did warn you,” Louis says before Niall can even attempt to say anything.  


“But he has been screaming for an hour!” the Irish boy says, desperation in his eyes. “Shouldn't he be tired by now?”  


“Are you kidding me, he cried for two hours and a half last time I was baby-sitting,” Zayn mumbles.  


“Is it too late for me to get off the plane?” Niall asks Paul with desperate voice. Paul just glares at him and Niall backs off silently.  


Louis passes the baby over to Harry and the curly boy starts to shush him with soft murmurs and strokes.  


“Come on Ni, it's not that bad,” Liam says and Niall rolls his eyes.  
“Oh shut up Liam, you are just saying it because you are the designed Godfather and you don't want Harry and Lou to change their minds.” Niall groans and Liam makes a shocked expression.  


“I'm absolutely disappointed by the low expectations you have of me. I am only being honest.”  


“Whatever.”  


Alec seems to finally settle down after fifteen more minutes and the everyone on the plane sighs in relief, finally relaxing.  


“Oh the perks of fatherhood,” Harry jokes keeping Alec still in his arms, stroking his blonde hair. Him and Louis have a debate going on on Alec's hair – Louis thinks they'll get darker with age and become like Harry's, while Harry is not so sure about it. Louis keeps telling him to trust him on this, though, sure that he knows he is right about this and Harry just does.  


“How do you do it everyday?” Niall asks after a while. “Don't get me wrong, you know I love that little peanut to pieces, but sometimes I just can't take it anymore.”  
Harry laughs quietly. “We'll talk about it again once you are a dad too, Niall.”  


Niall just grunts and turns his iPod on, cutting himself out of the conversation while Zayn laughs.  


Once Harry has made sure Alec is completely silent, he puts him in his baby carrier careful to not wake him up.  


“God help that child.” Louis jokes while Harry settles by his side. “Seriously, can you imagine a mini-Niall going around? The world would never be the same again.”  


“I beg your pardon,” Niall says taking his head-phones off. “That baby would be the greatest child ever. What should I say, now that we apparently have a mini version of you, Louis? People should be panicking.”  


Harry starts to groan an offended “Hey!”, but Louis laughs light-hearted. “The fans think differently.”  


“The fans think the bloody sun shines out of your ass.” Niall snaps in response.  


“See, they are not wrong!” Louis grins and Niall decides that that's a good moment to cut himself out of the conversation again.  


The first time Harry and Louis shared a full picture of Alec with the rest of the world was only about two weeks before, on Alec's three-month birthday and the fans went mad for it. They had been begging for one for ages and they still talk about it now, weeks later. Harry and Louis just figured that pictures of them with their son would have leaked anyway once they would be on tour again, so they had decided that the first public picture of Alec had to be one they had chosen. The picture was very homely: just the three of them sitting in the kitchen, Alec between the two of them with a big smile drawn up on his little, soft face and eyes bright – Harry was right and their son's eyes stayed blue, just like Louis'. No wonder the fans already love him.  


The fact that they are going to tour again while Alec is so young doesn't thrill either Louis nor Harry – if they could do as they wanted, they would wait until he was at least two, but they know they are under contractual obligation to complete this tour. They want to raise him as a normal child as much as possible, and this is not going to be possible if he is going to be on the road since he is three months old. Of course leaving him home with Louis and Harry's parents is not an option (when some guy of their team had suggested it, they both had cringed so much the guy avoided them for the rest of the day) so they had surrounded at the idea of touring when Alec is so young. It wasn't an easy decision, but there weren't any other options.  


It's okay, though. They have been going through so much in the past years, this is just going to be another challenge they have to face.  


Louis observes as Liam picks Alec up once the kid opens his eyes about two hours later and laughs at his friend making weird faces at his son. Alec smiles and giggles, his face soft and happy and he emits an amazed sound once Zayn, who is sitting next to Liam, starts cooing at him. Louis can see Niall smiling at the scene, too.  


Harry snuggles closer to Louis and the older boy smiles down at him.  


“Hi love,” he murmurs with the softest voice and Harry beams at him.  


“Hi babe.” Harry replies and kisses his boyfriend – _fiancé_ now, a brand new ring shining on his left hand after Harry proposed on the night they brought Alec home for the first time – softly.  


(In two years time, One Direction will announce their decision to take a one year break after the end of their contract with Syco and Modest!Management. About around the same time, Louis will announce he is pregnant and he and Harry will get marry in a small chapel in the north of England. Zayn will be Louis' bestman and Niall will be Harry's, just because. Zayn will also be Lily's – that's how Louis will decide to name their daughter once she's born, because Darcy won't just fit – godfather, but of course he doesn't know that yet. Zayn will end up marrying Perrie during that year of break as well and the two of them will go on a trip around the world for their honeymoon. Eventually, that one year of break will turn into two, but that's okay. By 2018, One Direction will be back again with a new CD, a new audience and a new management. They'll go back on stage and their new families will be waiting in the backstage for them. And everything is going to be the same, but it's also going to be completely different, just like it's supposed to be.)  


Louis and Harry break the kiss once they hear their friends' laugh at something Alec is doing. They smile at each other, their mouth still so close and they end up kissing again, the sun shining upon their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I can't believe I really wrote over 32k words of mpreg!Harry. Thank you so much to everyone who has read this fic, your comments, kudos and bookmarks have really brightened my days.  
> I'll definitely write something else in the future, this fic has been a really nice experience.  
> Thank you a lot. xx

**Author's Note:**

> I am not a native English speaker and I do apologise for my mistakes. I just really wanted to give a shot to write something in English and I decided mpreg month was a good start.  
> Hope you enjoyed this chapter! x


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